f>:\  '-N  ' '  •   I.' 


7,  ' 


Stom  f  ^e  &i6rar)?  of 

QSequeaf^e^  fig  ^im  fo 
f 3e  fetfirarg  of 

(prtnceton  S^eofogtcaf  ^emtnarj 

1870 


IP 


THE     BOOK 


OF  THE 


PROPHET    EZEKIEL 


TRANSLATED  FROM  THE  ORIGINAL  HEBREW. 


COMMENTARY, 

CRITICAL,  PHILOLOGICAL,  AND  EXEGETICAL. 
/  B. 

E.  HENDERSON,  D.D. 

AUTHOR  OF  COMMENTARIES  ON  THE   ROOK  OF  THE  MINOR  PKOPHBTS, 
JEBEMIAU  AND  LAMENTATIONS,  ISAIAH,  ETC. 


^ 


WARREN  F.  DRAPER,  PUBLISHER. 


MAIN     STREET. 


1870. 


"Absit  a  nobis  iit  Dcum  faciamus  5i7\c<)ttoi',  ant  mnltiplices  sensus  affingaraus 
ipsius  verbo,  in  quo  potius,  tamqnam  in  speculo  limpidissimo  sui  autoris  simplici- 
tatem  contemplari  debcmus,  Ps.  xii.  6 ;  xix.  8.  Unkus  ergo  sensus  scripturae, 
nempe  grammaticus,  est  admittendus,  quibuscunque  demum  terminis,  vel  propriis 
vel  tropicis  et  figuratis  exprimatur."  —  Makesius. 


andover: 
printed  by  warren  f.  drapeb. 


PHEFACE. 


In  preparing  the  following  work  for  the  press  the  author  has  been 
greatly  encouraged  by  the  kind  reception  given  to  his  previous  labors 
on  the  Prophets  by  theological  readers  both  in  this  country  and  Amer- 
ica. It  has  been  a  satisfaction  to  him  to  find  that  the  principles  on 
which  he  has  conducted  his  exegetical  inquiries  have  been  generally 
approved  of  by  those  most  competent  to  judge.  To  these  principles 
he  still  adheres;  convinced  that  whatever  there  abounds  of  symbol, 
vision,  enigma,  and  parable  in  the  compositions  of  Ezekiel,  there  runs 
through  them  a  vein  of  historical  reality  which  serves  as  a  safeguard 
against  the  vagaries  of  the  mystical  school  of  interpretation. 

"SVliile  the  Biblical  student  is  ever  to  be  careful  not  to  allow  the 
divine  meaning  of  Scripture  to  evaporate  into  thin  air,  he  is  equally  to 
be  solicitous  not  to  load  the  inspired  text  with  the  cumbrous  lucubra- 
tions of  his  own  imagination.  In  fixing  upon  the  sense  to  be  brought 
out,  he  is  not  at  liberty  to  force  into  the  sacred  word  any  preconceived 
notions  of  human  invention ;  but,  carefully  weighing  all  the  circum- 
stances of  the  context,  to  give  that  interpretation  which  best  harmo- 
nizes with  them,  and  brings  them  into  view.  All  far-fetched  and 
arbitrary  constructions  he  is  utterly  to  repudiate.  The  literal  and  the 
figurative  are  to  be  allowed  their  respective  claims,  but  never  to  be 
confounded,  mixed  up  together,  or  substituted  the  one  for  the  other. 
It  behoves  the  interpreter,  with  his  mind  open  to  receive  the  truth  of 
God,  to  maintain  the  attitude  of  young  Samuel,  and  earnestly  to  give 
utterance  to  the  beautiful  prayer  :  "  Speak  Lord  ;  for  thy  servant 
heareth." 

In  prosecuting  his  expository  task  the  author  has  endeavored  to 
avoid  indulging  in  the  discursive  —  confining  himself  to  the  matter  in 
hand ;  making  the  text  his  leader ;  and  condensing,  within  as  small 


VI  PREFACE. 

a  compass  as  was  compatible  with  due  regard  to  perspicuity,  what  he 
had  to  offer  in  elucidation  of  the  subjects  treated  of  by  the  sacred 
writer. 

"Warned  by  the  palpable  failure  of  others  who  have  staked  their  lit- 
erary reputation  on  calculations  relative  to  events  still  supjiosed  to  be 
future  in  the  history  of  the  church,  he  has  not  presumed  to  lift  the  veil 
which  it  hath  jileased  the  Spirit  of  inspiration  should  be  left  to  remain 
on  certain  portions  of  prophetic  scripture.  His  province  has  not  been 
to  prophesy,  but  humbly  and  carefully  to  investigate  the  meaning  of 
the  prophecies  dictated  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  recorded  in  the  Divine 
word. 

The  charge  of  obscurity  brought  against  Ezekiel  is  nothing  new. 
Nor  can  it  be  denied  that  there  are  portions  of  his  book  which,  at  first 
sight,  seem  hard  to  be  understood.  It  may  fairly  be  questioned,  how- 
ever, whether  the  alleged  want  of  perspicuity  be  not  mainly  attributa- 
ble to  the  mists  of  false  interpretation  in  which  he  has  been  involved, 
rather  than  to  any  impenetrable  veil  thrown  over  the  prophecies  by 
his  own  hand.  To  understand  his  pictures  they  must  be  surveyed  as 
wholes,  without  the  mind  being  distracted  by  dwelling  upon  the  minor 
and  accessory  features  of  which  they  are  made  up.  Minute  attention 
to  these  (especially  in  studying  the  description  of  the  temple),  apart 
from  a  grand  view  of  the  whole,  is  one  of  the  principal  causes  of  the 
difficulty  accompanying  its  interpretation. 

While  constrained  to  abide  by  the  idea  of  a  literal  temple,  the  author 
sees  no  violation  of  the  laws  of  sound  exegesis  in  maintaining  at  the  same 
time  the  symbolical  import  of  the  structure  and  its  ordinances,  just 
as  we  understand  the  typical  character  of  the  former  temple  erected 
by  Solomon.  Both  adumbrated  or  shadowed  forth  the  substantial 
blessings  of  the  gospel  dispensation  ;  serving  as  a-TOL^eLa,  elements,  or 
rudimental  means  of  instruction,  adapted  to  the  then  infantile  state  of 
the  church,  and  leading  the  mind  forward  in  anticipation  of  better 
things  to  come.     See  the  Apostle's  definition,  Col.  ii.  17 ;  Heb.  x.  1. 


INTRODUCTION. 


EzEKiEL  first  introduces  himself  to  our  notice  on  the  banks  of  the 
Chebar,  a  river  of  upper  Mesopotamia,  whitlier  he  had  been  trans- 
ported, along  with  the  more  distinguished  of  his  countrymen,  when 
Jehoiachin,  having  surrendered  to  Nebuchadnezzar  (b.c.:^,599},  was 
carried  into  exile  in  Babylon.  He  was  in  part  contemporary  with 
Jeremiah  and  Daniel,  between  the  latter  of  whom  and  Ezekiel  there 
are  more  points  of  resemblance  than  one,  especially  in  the  character  of 
his  visions  and  the  grotesque  cast  of  his  images.  Having,  previously 
to  his  removal  from  Jerusalem,  filled  the  sacerdotal  office,  he  possessed 
an  influence  which  must  have  been  of  great  service  to  him  in  his 
intercourse  with  his  fellow-captives,  who  were  accustomed  to  assemble 
in  his  house  at  Tgl:aiiib  to  consult  him  in  reference  to  their  future 
prospects. 

Wliether  he  had  been  married  before  he  arrived  in  Chaldea  does 
not  appear ;  but  while  there  he  had  the  affliction  to  be  suddenly  de- 
prived of  the  object  of  his  conjugal  affection,  a  circumstance  in  refer- 
ence to  which  he  was  constituted  a  type  of  the  calamity  which  was  to 
befall  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  xxiv.  15-25. 

His  field  of  labor  embraced  not  merely  his  countrymen  from  Judea, 
but  also,  in  all  probability,  the  descendants  of _lhe_ten  tribes,  who 
had  partly  been  located  in  the  same  region  when  removed  from  their 
native  land  by  Shalmanezer,  king  of  Assyria,  2.,Kings  xviii.  9-12.  In 
the  remote  province  of  Mesopotamia  our  prophet  enjoyed  a  freedom  of 
action,  and  consequently  opportunities  of  visefulness,  which  might  not 
have  fallen  to  his  lot  if  he  had  accompanied  his  captive  sovereign  to 
the  metropolis  of  the  empire.  He  was  not  only  unmolested  by  the 
Chaldeans,  but  undisturbed  by  the  plots  and  caballings  to  which  his 
contemporary  Jeremiah  was  exposed  from  the  profligate  courtiers  of 
Judah. 


VIU 


INTEODUCTION. 


Nor,  in  discharging  the  duties  of  his  office,  is  there  reason  to  believe 
that  his  labors  were  confined  to  liis  fellow  exiles.     Many  of  his  dis- 
courses were  addressed  to  the  Jews  who  still  remained  in  Jerusalem, 
with  whom  he  might  have  held  communication  by  letter  or    verbal 
messages.     These,  like  most  of  those  with  whom  he  was  brought  into 
contact,  were  obstinately  resolute  in  their  determination  to  persist  in 
their   rebellious  courses.     Though  suffering  the  punishment  of  their 
sins  in  a  foreign  country,  the  latter  had  too  much  idolatrous  sympathy 
with  their  countrymen  in  Judea  to  lend  a  willing  ear  to  the  solemn 
calls  to  repentance  and  reformation  tendered  to  them  by  the  prophet. 
Still    Ezekiel,  strengthened    with    power   from  on  high,  pursued  his 
course,  unintimidated  by  their  stubborn  opposition,  displaying  through- 
out the  utmost  intrepidity  and  fidelity  of  character.     We  find  him  in- 
cessantly at  work,  exposing   vice,  urging   to    the  observance  of  the 
divine  commandments,  and  consoling  the  pious  with  the  hopes  of  bet- 
ter times.     While  there  is  much  in  his  book  to  arouse  and  alarm,  and 
much   that  is  calculated  even  to  terrify,  there  are  at  the  same  time 
such  aboundings  of  tender_compassion,  as  cannot  but  administer  con- 
solation to  the  sorrowing  spirit.     Ezekiel  was  not  only  the  denouncer 
of  judgment :  he  was  at  the  same  time  the  publisher  of  glad  tidings. 
While  in  the  first  part  of  his  book  his  thoughts  revolve   round   the 
calamitous  circumstances  of  his  ruined  country,  in  the  latter  half  he 
delights  in  holding  out  assurances  that  the  Most  High  would  receive 
back  into  favor  and  abundantly  bless  repentant  Israel.    Interspersed  are 
gracious  promises  of  the  Messiah  and  the  blessings  of  the  dispensation 
which  he  should  introduce.     The  Hebrews  were  not  left  to  imagine 
that  their  return  from  Chaldea  and  the  restoration  of  their  civil  and 
ecclesiastical  polity  were  to  exhaust  the  blessings  which  their  covenant 
God  had  in   store  for  them.     Blessings  of  an  infinitely  higher  order 
he  teaches  them  to  anticipate,  and   repeatedly  gives  them  to  under- 
stand that  no  failure  on  the  part  of  the  Divine  Being  should  occasion 
the  withdrawal  of  their  enjoyment.     He  ever  evinces  a  sacred  regard 
to  the  best  interests  of  those  whom  he  addresses,  which  is  admirably 
calculated  to  arrest  the  attention,  and  promote  the  edification  of  readers 
in  every  age.     The  ethical  element  pervades  the  whole ;  and  no  one 
can  peruse  the  book  in  a  proper  spirit  without  having  his  mind  im- 
pressed with  a  sense  of  the  majesty,  holiness,  rectitude,  and  compassion 
of  the  Divine  Being,  who  had  selected  the  prophet  to  be  his  messenger 


INTRODUCTION. 


IX 


to  his  guilty  people.  "T/ms  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  "  reverberates  on 
every  page  ;  and  hard  must  that  lieart  be  which  is  not  penetrated  by 
the  sound. 

It  is  worthy  of  notice  that  among  the  predictions  which  denounce 
judgments  against  the  enemies  of  the  covenant  people  we  find  none 
directed  against  Babylon.  To  what  this  is  to  be  ascribed  it  is  difficult 
to  imagine,  except  it  arose  from  a  desire  not  to  give  unnecessary 
offence  to  the  government  under  which  the  prophet  lived. 

With  respect  to  style,  Ezekiel  may  be  said  to  hold  a  middle  place 
between  the  high  poetic  and  the  depressed  prosaic.  Without,  on  the 
one  hand,  rising  to  the  more  elevated  heights  of  prophetical  composition, 
he  pursues,  on  the  other,  his  easy  flow  of  diction,  occasionally  break- 
ing out  in  passages  that  are  rough  and  rugged  in  their  aspect,  in  accor- 
dance with  the  nature  of  his  theme.  The  lanOTasfe  abounds  more  in 
the  picturesque  than  any  other  biblical  writing.  The  imagery  is  of 
the  richest  and  boldest  description.  Allegory,  symbol,  and  vision 
predominate. 

Without  trenching  upon  the  claims  of  our  prophet  as  an  inspired 
writer  by  attributing  to  his  human  powers  what  was  supplied  from  a 
higher  source,  we  may  regard  him  as  an  instrument  singularly  qualified 
for  executing  the  task  devolved  upon  him.  In  this  point  of  view  he 
appears  before  us  as  possessing  a  rich  and  gorgeous  imagination,  to 
which  he  gives  the  freest  course,  working  everything  out  in  adapta- 
tion to  his  subject,  and  laying  everything  under  contribution  that  was 
calculated  to  impart  dignity  to  his  theme,  and  to  produce  a  deep  and 
salutary  impression  upon  his  hearers.  Some  parts  of  his  book  are 
truly  magnificent  in  their  sublimity,  and  others  are  affectingly  awaken- 
ing in  their  pointedness  of  appeal.  He  is  most  emphatic  in  his 
denunciations  of  the  divine  judgments. 

One  of  the  peculiar  characteristics  of  our  prophet  is  a  proneness 
to  indulge  in  amplification  which  scorns  to  be  arrested  in  its  course, 
and  branches  out  into  image  after  image  and  repetition  after  repe- 
tition, till  nothing  is  left  untouched  that  might  be  expected  to  impress 
the  reader.  In  his  objurgations  he  returns  to  the  charge  again  and 
again,  unwilling  to  let  his  guilty  countrymen  escape  from  the  shafts 
of  conviction.  To  the  same  cause  is  to  be  ascribed  the  minuteness 
with  which  every  subject  is  treated.  Not  content  with  exhibiting 
his  pictures  in  broad  outlines,  he  embodies  his  ideas  in  microscopic 


X  INTRODUCTION. 

forms,  omitting  no  feature  that  may  render  them  perfect  in  their  pre- 
sentation to  view. 

Attempts  have  been  made  to  reduce  the  composition  of  Ezekiel  to 
strict  symmetrical  verse,  such  as  marks  the  structure  and  turn  of 
sentences  in  other  prophetical  writers  ;  but  though  there  are  parts  of 
the  book  that  may,  after  a  fashion,  be  metrically  disposed,  such  as  the 
elegies  on  Tyre,  chapters  xxvii.,  xxviii.,  and  those  on  Egypt,  chapter 
xxix.-xxxi.,  yet  as  a  whole  the  language  is  to  be  regarded  as  prose 
without  rhythm  or  parallelism,  only  characterised  by  warmth  of  feeling 
such  as  became  a  writer  deeply  interested  in  the  fates  of  his  country- 
men and  the  glory  of  his  God.  In  presenting  the  text,  therefore,  to 
my  readers,  I  have  retained  the  ordinary  cast  of  prose  throughout. 

It  would  appear  from  chapter  xxix.  17,  that  the  ministry  of  Ezekiel 
was  continued  till  the  twenty-seventh  year  of  the  exile  ;  at  least  this 
is  the  latest  date  which  we  meet  with  in  liis  book.  According  to 
tradition,  he  ended  his  days  in  Chaldea,  having  been  put  to  death  by 
one  of  the  princes  of  his  people,  whom  he  had  enraged  by  reproving 
him  for  having  indulged  in  the  worship  of  idols. 


SELECT  LITERATUEE  OP  THE  BOOK. 


The  most  imj^ortant  of  the  Jewish  commentaries  on  Ezekiel  is  that 
of  David  Kimchi,  justly  esteemed  on  account  of  its  strictly  grammatical 
character.  It  is  found  in  Buxtorf 's  Biblia  Rabbinica  (Amstelodami, 
1724-1727,  four  volumes,  folio). 

The  best  works  of  the  Fathers  on  the  prophet  are  those  of  Theo- 
doret  and  Jerome,  who,  for  the  most  part,  confine  themselves  to  the 
literal  interpretation  of  the  text. 

What  was  designed  to  be  a  first-rate  work  on  Ezekiel  is  that  of  two 
Spanish  Jesuits,  Pradus  and  Villapandus,  which,  however,  especially 
that  portion  written  by  the  latter,  is  rather  to  be  regarded  as  an  osten- 
tatious display  of  architectural  learning,  than  as  calculated  to  satisify 
any  reader  seriously  endeavoring  to  ascertain  the  true  meaning  of  the 
word  of  God.  It  was  published  at  Rome,  1596,  in  three  huge  folio 
volumes,  with  numerous  plates  designed  to  ilustrate  the  buildings  of 
the  temple.  It  is  a  book  of  extreme  rarity,  being  scarcely  ever  found 
in  any  private  library. 

The  earliest  work  of  the  Reformers  on  the  prophet  is  that  written 
by  Oecolampadius  (Basilejc,  1548,  folio).  Considering  the  age  in  which 
it  was  published,  it  is  justly  entitled  to  respect.  It  is  to  be  regretted 
that  Calvin  did  not  carry  his  Commentary  on  Ezekiel  further  than  the 
twentieth  chapter,  since  from  the  exegetical  tact  which  he  has  displayed 
it  is  manifest  none  was  better  qualified  to  do  justice  to  the  author. 

The  German  Translation  of  the  Old  Testament  by  J.  D.  Michaelis, 
with  Notes  for  the  unlearned.  Part  x.  (Gottingen,  1781),  and  Arch- 
bishop Newcome's  Attempt  towards  an  Improved  Version  of  Ezekiel 
(London,  1785,  4to.),  both  furnish  not  unimportant  contributions  to 
the  elucidation  of  the  prophet ;  but  neither  of  them  scrupled  to  take 
unjustifiable  liberties  with  the  Hebrew  text.  Their  labors  in  He- 
brew literature  have  been  superseded  by  those  of  later  critics. 


XII 


SELECT  LITERATURE  OF  THE  BOOK. 


The  Scliolia  in  Vetus  Testamentum,  by  the  younger  Rosenmuller 
(Leipzig,  1808-1810,  8vo.),  will  ever  retain  their  value  as  a  reper- 
torium  of  materials  for  Biblical  interpretation. 

The  Commentarius  Criticus  of  Maurer  (Leipzig,  1838,  8vo.)  will  be 
found  exceedingly  serviceable  as  a  hand-book  for  the  use  of  the  exeget- 
ical  student,  if  only  he  be  on  his  guard  lest  he  should  occasionally  be 
led  astray  by  the  rationalistic  views  of  the  author.  The  same  caution 
is  requsite  in  regard  to  studying  the  earlier  editions  of  Rosemiiller. 

Heinrich  Ewald,  in  the  Notes  to  his  Propheten  Des  Alten  Bundes, 
introduces  a  series  of  criticisms  such  as  might  be  expected  from  a 
Hebrew  grammarian  of  acknowledged  merit.  Not  unfrequently,  how- 
ever, they  will  be  found  to  fail  in  yielding  satisfaction  with  respect  to 
the  true  meaning  of  the  text. 

Commentar  Uber  den  Propheten  Ezekiel  by  Havernick  (Erlangen, 
1843,  8vo).  This  work,  together  with  that  on  Daniel,  by  the  same 
author,  formed  quite  an  epoch  in  the  theological  literature  of  Germany. 
The  author  goes  at  great  length  into  the  exposition  of  the  prophet,  and 
is  more  fruitful  and  happy  in  philological  investigation  than  any  of  his 
predecessors.  He  is  characterized  throughout  by  a  spirit  of  earnest 
and  warm-hearted  piety. 

Der  Prophet  Ezekiel,  by  Dr.  Ferdinand  Hitzig  (Leipzig,  1847).  This 
work,  which  is  appropriately  characterized  by  Fairbairn  as  elastic, 
though  containing  acute  and  ingenious  remarks,  carries  Biblical  criti- 
cism to  such  excess  that  it  may  be  regarded  as  a  specimen  of  literary 
trifling,  rather  than  a  sober  exposition  of  the  oracles  of  divine  truth. 

Umbreit's  Praktischer  Commentar  iiber  den  Ezekiel  (Hamburg, 
1843)  is  chiefly  valuable  on  account  of  his  close  and  accurate  trans- 
lation of  the  Hebrew  text.  The  Notes,  however,  which  are  rather 
sparse,  contain  choice  elucidations  of  particular  passages. 

The  latest  English  work  on  the  prophet  is  from  the  pen  of  the  Rev. 
Patrick  Fairbairn  (Edinburgh,  1851),  who,  in  expounding  the  conclud- 
ing chapters,  follows  pretty  much  in  the  track  of  Havernick,  for  the 
most  part  merging  the  literal  Israel  and  their  institutes  in  what  he 
regards  as  the  higher  Messianic  element  of  the  Christian  church. 


EZEKIEL. 


CHAPTER   I. 

The  proTihet  commences  his  book  by  detailing  the  circumstances  connected  with  his  call 
to  the  prophetic  ofBce.  After  specifying  the  time  and  place  in  which  he  received  his 
commission,  1-3,  he  proceeds  to  describe  the  wonderful  phenomena  which  were  pre- 
sented to  his  imagination  in  inspired  <'ision,  and  which  were  designed  to  furnish  him 
with  an  impressive  symbolical  representation  of  ihe  formidable  agencies  by  means  of 
which  Jehovah  executes  his  purposes  as  the  Ruler  amon?  the  nations,  4-25;  concludir? 
with  a  description  of  the  vision  which  he  had  of  the  divine  glory,,  and  the  solemn  effect 
which  it  produced  upon  his  mind,  26-28. 

1  Now  it  came  to  pass  in  the  thirtieth  year,  in  the  fourth  month,  on 
the  fifth  day  of  the  month,  when  I  was  among  the  captives  by 
the  river  Chebar,  the  heavens  were  opened,  and  I  saw  visions 


1.  The  formula  "^tX^)  with  the  copula, 
is  not  unusual  at  the  commencement  of 
the  sacred  books  of  the  Old  Testament. 
Sec  Joshua  Judges,  Euth,  Samuel,  etc. 
It  is  designed  to  intimate  the  continua- 
tion of  historicat  or  prophetic  records. 
Considerable  difficulty  has  been  found 
in  determining  what  particular  date  is  in- 
tended by  the  thirtieth  year  here  specified. 
Setting  aside  the  opinion,  that  it  may 
indicate  the  age  of  the  prophet,  as  being 
unusual  in  prophetic  computations,  or 
that  it  designates  the  number  of  years 
that  had  elapsed  since  the  reformation 
effected  in  the  eighteenth  year  of  Jo- 
siah,  as  being  destitute  of  any  sufficient 
ground,  the  probable  supposition  is  that 
advanced  by  Scaliger  in  his  work  De 
Emend.  Temporum  ;  according  to  which 
the  date  is  taken  from  the  commence- 
ment of  the  reign  of  Nabopolassar,  which 
formed  the  era  of  the  Babylonian  empire, 
B.C.  625.  As  our  prophet  now  lived 
untler  that  monarchy  is  was  natural  for 


him  here  to  adopt  the  chronology  of  the 
country,  which  he  otherwise  uses  inter- 
changeably with  that  of  the  captivity. 
Sec  on  chap.  viii.  1.  We  find  Daniel, 
and  others  of  the  prophets  in  like  manner, 
employing  the  era  of  the  people  among 
whom  they  lived  when  out  of  their  na- 
tive country.  "12S ,  Chehar,  the  same  as 
"linn ,  Hahor,  whither  the  ten  tribes  had 
been  transported  by  Tiglath-pilcser  and 
Shalmanezcr,  2  Kings  xvii.  6.  It  was 
a  considerable  river  of  Mesopotamia, 
formed  by  the  confluence  of  a  number 
of  smaller  streams,  and  known  among 
the  Greeks  by  the  names  of  XaPiitpas  and 
'Afioppas,  and  among  the  Arabs  by  that 

of  »fcjL^  5  Khabour.     It  takes  its  rise 

near  the  ruins  of  Ras-el-Ain,  which  lie 
in  a  south-westerly  direction  from  the 
town  of  Merdin,  ana  flows  into  the  Eu- 
phrates at  Carchemish  or  Circusium, 
about  two  hundi-ed  miles  to  the  north  of 
Babylon.     Layard  describes  it  as  flowing 


14 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  I.  2-4. 


2  of  God.     On  the  fifth  day  of  the  month,  which  was  the  fifth 

3  year  of  king  Jehoiachin's  captivity,  the  word  of  Jehovali  came 
expressly  to  Ezekiel  (the  son  of  Buzi),  tlie  priest,  in  the  land 
of  the  Chaldeans,  by  the  river  Chebar  ;  and  the  hand  of  Jehovah 
was  upon  him  there. 

4  And  I  looked,  and  behold  a  whirlwind  came  out  of  the  north,  a 

great  cloud,  and  a  self-attracting  fire,  and  a  brightness  round 


thronyh  the  richest  pastures  and  mead- 
ows, its  banks  covered  with  flowers  of 
every  hue,  and  presenting  the  loveliest 
scene  he  had  ever  beheld.  In  this  iTgion 
the  king  of  Babylon  had  planted  a  colony 
of  Jews,  among  whom  was  our  prophet, 
as  he  states,  ver.  3.  GTt'^X  mX1_^  ,  vis- 
ions  of  God,  do  not  mean~repfgseTil:ations 
of  Deity  exliibited  to  the,  bodily  eyes  of 
the  prophe)  —  such  an  idea  could  only 
~"..e  oviginated  in  the  theoretical  spec- 
ulations of  the  Ilutchinsonian  school ; 
but  the  sublime  discoveries  made  to  the 
mind  of  Ezekiel,  and  deposited  in  the 
present  book.  The  phrase  occurs  again 
chaps,  viii.  3 ;  xl.  2.  The  revelations 
contained  in  tKem  were  such  as  had 
specially  the  glory  of  Jehovah  for  their 
object,  including  also  such  other  objects 
as  tended  by  .symbolical  representations 
to  set  forth  to  view  the  divine  government 
of  the  world  and  the  church. 

2,3.  Camp.  2  Kings  xxiv.  12;  Jer. 
xxii.  24,  25  ;  xxix.  2.  Jerome  is  of 
opinion,  that,  as  Jehoiachin  voluntarily 
surrendered  to  Nebuchadnezzar,  ri^bj  is 
not,  as  in  the  LXX.,  to  be  rendered 
alxiJ-o,\waia,  captivitas,  but  transmiffratlo. 
Ewald  accounts  for  the  change  of  person 
from  the  first  to  the  third  by  the  sup- 
position that  the  prophet,  on  revising 
his  book,  inserted  these  two  verses  for 
the  purpose  of  introducing  the  computa- 
tion which  dated  from  the  commence- 
ment of  the  captivity,  together  with  his 
own  name,  which  occurs  again  only  chap. 
xxiv.  24.  This  computation  Ezekiel 
afterwards  uses,  chaps,  viii.  1  ;  xx.  1  ; 
xxiv.  1  ;  xxvi.  1  ;  xxxi.  1  ;  xxxii.  1  ; 
xl.  1.  The  first  person  is  immediately 
resumed,  ver.  4,  after  the   interruption 


of  the  narrative  commenced  ver.  1 .     Ac- 
cording to  Hebrew  usage  (see  Zech.  i.  1) 
the  designation  "y}^ ,  priest,  is  in  apposi-   / 
tion  with  Ezekiel  and   not  with   Buzi. 

1  agree  with  iVia'\Yev  in  thinking  that 
the  double  form  fl^fl  H'^n  ,  in  which  the 
ideu  of  the  vei"b  is  expressed  twice  over, 
is  employed  for  the  sake  of  intensity  or 
emphasis,  so  that  the  infinitive  is  not 
redundant,  as  Rosenmiiller  would  make 
it.  Our  translators,  therefore,  properly 
add  expressly.  ?^  ■^Ij'^V"'-  5  '^'^  hand  of 
Jehovah  icas  upon,  is  a  formula  frequently 
used  to  denote  the  exertion  of  supernat- 
ural and  divine  agency  by  which  the  . 
prophets  were  prepared  to  receive  and 
deliver  divine  communications.     Comp. 

2  Kings  iii.  15;  Isaiah  viii.  11  ;  Ezek. 
xxxiii.  22  ;  xxxvii.  1  ;  xl.  1.  Instead  of 
"'"',?  >  "7'^"  ^"™>  eight  MSS.,  primarily 
four  more,  and  now  one  by  correction, 
the  LXX.,  Syr.,  and  Arab,  read  "'^:?, 
upon  me;  but  the  variation  has  obviously 
arisen  from  the  copyist  not  having  ad- 
verted to  the  interruption  occasioned  by 
the  change  of  person. 

4.  The  formula  ^sni  ''"^V^"}  ,  I  Joohed , 
and  behold,  is  peculiar  to  the  prophets  Jer- 
emiah, Ezekiel,  Daniel,  and  Zechariah. 
JT^^'G  n^"i ,  the  whirlwind  or  tempest,  so  ^ 
called  from  the  violence  with  which  it 
rushes  on,  and  agitates  and  scatters  the 
objects  with  which  it  is  brought  into 
contact,  was  a  fit  emblem  to  represent 
the  divine  judgments.  Comp.  Isaiah 
xxix.  G  ;  Jer.  xxiii.  19 ;  xxv.  32  ;  Nahum 
i.  3.  This  tempest  the  prophet  saw 
coming  '|1Diifi}""i^ ,  from  the  north,  by  „,-> 
which  is  indicated,  not  the  heathenish 
idea,  that  that  was  the  quarter  of  tliG' 
heaven  where  the  gods  had  their  abode, 


Chap.  I.  4,  5.] 


EZEKIEL. 


15 


about  it,  and  from  the  midst  of  it  as  the  appearance  of  polished 
brass  from  the  midst  of  the  fire.  And  from  the  midst  of  it  was 
the  resemblance  of  four  living  creatures,  and   this  was    their 


as  Koscnmiillcr  and  Maurcr  expound, 
but  tlic  fuuntrj' of  Babylon,  whence  the 
Chaldeans,  who  were  a  northern  people, 
should  come  to  execute  the  divine  in- 
dignation upon  the  Jews.  Compare 
Jcr.  i.  14  ;  iv.  6  ;  vi.  1,  The  direction  is 
taken,  not  from  the  position  of  the 
prophet  at  the  time  of  the  vision,  for 
Babylon  lay  to  the  south  of  that,  but  in 
relation  to  Judea,  against  which  the 
hostile  power  would  come  by  taking  a 
northerly  course  and  entering  it  from 
■  that  quarter.  ?ilS  "(2^  ,  a  great  cloud,  is 
introduced  into  the  scene  in  order  to 
enhance  its  magnificence  and  sublimity. 
The  participle  "HisarTa ,  rendered  In- 
foldincj  itself,  properly  denotes  reciprocal 
or  reflexive  action.  The  verb  riJ^S, 
signifying  to  take,  the  Hithpacl  conjuga- 
tion here  used,  conveys  the  idea  of  any 
thing  taking  hold  of  itself,  or  taking  to 
itself;  finisbnTS  ds  will,  therefore,  mean 
self-attractitiri  jire,  and,  by  implication, 
consuming  what  it  thus  attracts.  LXX. 
TTvp  i^aaTpanrov  ',  Sym.  irvp  evetKovfiei'Oi'; 
Aquil.  avvava\a(xfiav6nevov ;  Vulg.  ignis 
involvens.  The  idea  is  that  of  a  fire 
which  lays  hold  on  whatever  surrounds 
it,  draws  it  into  itself,  and  devours  it. 
A  truly  fearful  object.  The  same  form 
and  mode  of  expression  occurs  Exod. 
ix.  24,  in  reference  to  the  union  of  fire 
M-ith  the  hail.  To  enhance  the  idea  of 
the  fire,  it  is  added,  that  "  out  of  the 
midst  of  it "  was  as  the  appearance  of 
p^wn  ,  a  term  which  occurs  again  ver. 
27,  and  in  the  feminine,  chap.  viii.  2, 
and  respecting  which  there  has  been  no 
small  diversity  of  opinion.  The  most 
ancient  interpretation  is  that  given  by 
the  LXX.  TjXeKTpof ;  Vulg.  ehctruin,  a 
metal  compounded  of  gold  and  silver, 
and  distinguished  for  its  brilliancy. 
Compare  x'^^foAiySayot',  burnished  metal, 
Rev.  i.  15.  To  render  the  word  by  amber, 
as  otir  translators  have  done,  is  not  so 


appropriate ;  since  this  substance,  though 
reckoned  among  the  phosphori,  fiom  the 
circumstance  that  by  friction  it  is  made 
to  yield  light  copiously  in  the  dark,  does 
not  possess  the  brilliancy  which  tiic  word 
in  this  part  of  the  description  would 
seem  to  require.  Bochart  and  some  of 
the  older  critics  adopt  the  derivation 
mirna ,  brass,  and  the  Chaldee  ^^^"^ » 
gold;  but  the  word  is  more  probably 
compounded  of  f  Ij?  for  H'^r''^?  »  brass, 
the  3  and  the  D  being  removed  by  aphie- 
resis,  and  ?3^  ,  softened  into  P'?  by  the 
elision  of  the  final  ^  ,  to  be  smooth,  so  that 
polished  brass  is  most  easily  brought  out 
as  the  signification.  The  idea  of  exces- 
sive splendor  is  evidently  what  it  was 
intended  to  convey.  See  Gesenius  in 
voc.  and  Stuart  on  Rev.  i.  15,  and  com- 
pare ver.  7.  Hitzig  is  of  opinion  that 
the  word  is  composed  of  two  Chaldee 
terms,  in  use  in  the  country  where  Eze- 
kiel  was  living.  "J"?  does  not  signify 
color,  as  given  in  our  common  version 
after  the  Talmudic  Hebrew,  but^^c,  and 
hence  by  metonj'my  look,  appearance, 
aspect,  or  the  like.  The  repetition 
dxri  ■ri'in"9  -  MDinp  is  equivalent  to 
from  the  midst  of  the  f  re. 

5.  The  prophet  now  comes  to  describe 
the  extraordinary  compound  figures 
which  he  saw  in  vision.  In  treating  of 
this  subject  I  shall  first  examine  the 
several  details  of  the  description,  and 
then  attempt  to  ascertain  Avhat  the  whole 
was  designed  to  represent.  In  investi- 
gating the  subject,  it  must  all  along  be 
borne  in  mind,  that  the  object  described 
was  purely  ideal,  and  not  anything  ac- 
tually existing  in  rerum  natura.  f^'i'^'ji 
living  creatures,  as  the  word  is  properly 
rendered  here  by  our  translators;  but 
the  corresponding  term  (cia,  which  John 
borrows  from  the  LXX.,  they  have  as 
improperly  rendered  beasts.  Rev.  iv.  6. 
From  the   circumstance  that   they  are 


16 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  I.  5-9. 


G  '     aspect,  they  had  the  appearance  of  a  man.     And  every  one  had 

7  four  faces,  and  every  one  had  four  wings.  And  their  feet  were 
straight  feet ;  the  sole  of  their  feet  was  like  the  sole  of  a  calf's 
foot :  and  they  sparkled  like  the  appearance  of  polished  brass. 

8  And  they  had  the  hands  of  a  man  under  their  wings  on  their 
four    sides,   and   they    four   had    their  faces  and    their  wings. 

9  Their  wings  were  joined  one  to  another  ;  they  turned  not  when 
10       they  went ;  they  went  every  one  straight  forward.     And  as  for 


emphatically  called  "  the  living  crea- 
tures," it  is  manifest  that  the  notion  of 
life  or  vital  energy  must  lie  at  the  found- 
ation of  the  idea.  It  is  true  that  most 
of  the  animals  were  irrational  creatures, 
but  as  one  represented  a  human  being 
there  is  an  incongruity  in  designating 
them  all  by  the  term  beasts.  Man  being 
the  noblest  in  creation,  his  form  is  se- 
lected as  the  pattern  after  which  they  ai-e 
represented.  "^iJi?  as  feminine  agrees 
with  ni^in ;  but,  the  objects  not  being 
real,  the  distinction  of  sex  is  not  kept 
up — now  the  feminine,  and  now  the 
masculine  being  employed.  It  is  doubt- 
less owing  to  inattention  to  this  well- 
established  rule  of  Hebrew  syntax,  that 
such  a  gi'cat  number  of  various  readings 
are  found  in  the  MSS.  The  point  of 
comparison  between  the  form  of  the 
living  creatures  and  that  of  man  would 
seem  to  be  the  erect  posture  of  their 
bodies.  To  the  number yb»r  our  prophet 
appears  to  attach  considerable  impor- 
tance, since  he  employs  it  so  frequently 
in  his  description. 

6.  The  most  striking  peculiarity  con- 
nected witli  this  cherubic  representation 
is,  that  there  were  not  only  four  distinct 
living  creatures,  but  each  of  the  four 
had  four  faces,  the  appearance  of  which 
is  described  at  ver.  10.  The  aggregate, 
though  not  amounting  to  the  number 
calculated  by  the  Rabbins,  amounted  to 
not  fewer  than  sixteen. 

7.  Since  the  soles  of  the  feet  resembled 
those  of  a  calf,  it  is  evident  the  feet 
could  not  have  projected  horizontally 
like  human  feet,  but  must  have  formed 
a  continuation   of   the  legs   stretching 


down  vertically.  In  Hebrew  the  term 
C'?^?'!'  signifies,  not  the  feet  merely,  but 
all  the  lower  parts  of  the  body.  •"''^'•^'!  > 
straight,  therefore,  must  be  intended  to 
denote  a  perpendicular,  and  not  a  hori- 
zontal direction.  The  feet  must  have 
been  two  in  number,  like  those  of  man ; 
otherwise  the  number  four  would  have 
been  expressed,  as  it  is  with  respect  to 
the  faces  and  the  wings.  3  jf?  t^^!"?  > 
polished  brass.  ?3|^ ,  from  which  the 
adjective  is  derived,  must  originally  have 
had  as  one  of  its  significations  tosmoothe, 
polish,  though  this  signification  is  now 
only  found  in  the  Pilpel  conjugation. 
Comp.  Dan.  x.  6. 

8.  Instead  of  I'lJ"'" ,  the  Keri  and  a 
great  number  of  MSS.,  and  among  these 
the  best  Spanish,  with  the  Brixian  and 
Soncinian  editions,  read  correctly  "'t!'''!* 
The  error  of  transcription  has  arisen 
from  what  has  frequently  taken  place  — 
the  elongation  of  Yod  into  Vau.  The 
hand  is,  in  Hebrew,  a  very  common 
symbol  of  power ;  on  the  ground,  that 
it  is  principally  through  that  member  of 
the  body  that  power  is  exerted.  It  con- 
sequently denotes  active  energy. 

9.  The  living  creatures  had  no  occa- 
sion to  turn  when  changing  the  direction 
in  which  they  proceeded,  for  being  four 
in  number  they  had  a  face  looking 
towai'ds  each  of  the  four  quarters  of  the 
heavens,  and  could  move  on  without 
changing  their  posture.  Hitzig  regards 
.'nrinx-^N  niix  nnah  as  a  gloss  bor- 
rowed from  ver.  1 1 ,  where  the  mention 
of  the  junction  of  the  wings  by  pairs 
occurs  most  approjn'iately ;  whereas  here 
the  impression  left  on  the  mind  of  the 


CiiAP.  I.  9-13] 


EZEKIEL. 


17 


the  likeness  of  their  faces,  they  four  had  the  face  of  a  man,  and 
the  face  of  a  lion,  on  the  right  side  ;  and  they  four  had  the  face 
of  a  bull  on  the  left  side  ;  they  four  also  had  the  face  of  an  eagle. 
Thus  were  their  faces,  and  their  wings  were  parted  upwards : 
two  wings  of  every  one  were  joined  one  to  another,  and  two 
covered  their  bodies.  And  they  went  every  one  straight  for- 
ward ;  whither  the  spirit  was  to  go,  they  went :  and  they  turned 
not  when  they  went. 
13  As  for  the  likeness  of  the  living  creatures,  their  appearance  was 
like  burning  coals  of  fire,  like  the  appearance  of  lamps  ;  it  went 
up  and  down   among   the  living  creatures ;  and   the  fire   was 


11 


12 


reader  is,  that  all  the  four  wings  were 
joined  together,  whieli  is  not  otherwise 
borne  out  by  the  description. 

10.  Either  we  are  to  conchide  that  the 
face  of  the  man  was  in  front  and  that  of 
the  eagle  behind,  or  that  both  that  of  the 
man  and  the  lion  were  on  the  right  side, 
as  the  position  of  the  words  in  the  text 
would  seem  to  intimate,  and  thus  Cas- 
talio  and  Lowth  interpret ;  but  the  two 
members  of  the  first  clause  of  the  verse 
may  be  separated,  and  thus  the  former 
of  these  positions  might  be  justified.  In 
the  Hebrew  text  this  separation  is  ac- 
tually made  by  the  great  distinctive 
accent  Segolta,  which  shows  the  con- 
struction adopted  -by  the  Masoretes. 
Each  of  the  other  animals  being  the  most 
distinguished  of  its  kind,  I  have  not 
scrupled  to  render  11^  by  bull,  as  he  is 
the  strongest  and  most  ferocious  of  the 
beevc  kind. 

1 1 .  Two  of  the  wings  being  designed 
for  flying  are  represented  as  expanded 
upwards,  and  the  other  two  were  aj)- 
propriated,  for  the  sake  of  decency,  to 
the  covGi-ing  of  the  bodies  of  the  living 
creatures.  The  redundant  form  of  the 
pronominal  affix  nsri  in  ri2lnini'''ia  is 
not  peculiar  to  this  place ;  the  prophet 
employs  the  masculine  »lHfl  in  the  same 
way,  chap.  xl.  16. 

12.  It  has  been  matter  of  dispute, 
whether  T\'T\T\  here  is  to  be  rendered  the 
spirit  or  the  wind.  The  term  is  suscep- 
tible of  either  rendering,  according  to 

2* 


the  circumstances  of  the  context  in 
which  it  occurs.  In  favor  of  the  latter  it 
has  been  urged,  that,  as  special  mention 
is  made  of  H1"i ,  ivind,  ver.  4,  it  is  most 
natural  to  conchide  that  reference  is 
here  made  to  the  same.  On  the  other 
hand,  from  its  being  expressly  stated, 
that  the  H1"l  was  that  of  the  living 
creature,  or  living  creatures,  S^^ntl  being 
taken  as  a  collective  noun,  and  from  the 
motion  of  the  compound  figure  being 
atti-ibuted  to  the  will  of  the  H^l"!  (ver.  20) , 
I  consider  it  more  appropriate  to  regard 
the  term  as  expressive  of  the  impulsive 
principle  by  which  they  were  moved 
according  to  the  divine  pleasure.  Comp. 
ver.  21,  and  chap.  x.  17.  Some  regard 
n^nn  n^n  as  equivalent  to  0"^*^  nn, 
the  spirit  of  life,  but  the  latter  formula 
alone  is  used  in  this  sense. 

13.  The  apparent  tautology  at  the 
commencement  of  this  verse  may  be 
relieved  by  remarking,  that  while  r^^'l 
expresses  the  general  form  or  figure, 
'^'*';'?  expresses  the  particular  aspect  or 
appearance  of  a  thing.  The  conjecture 
of  Cappellus,  who,  to  render  the  text 
conformable  to  «V  fieVoi  rHv  ^a>wu  of  the 
LXX.,  would  substitute  ~Wa  for  ni^l , 
cannot  be  approved.  From  the  circum- 
stance that  the  LXX.  have  not  translated 
N'^H ,  we  are  not  to  conclude  that  it  did 
not  originally  stand  in  the  text.  It 
refers  to  ^"X ,  going  before.  i^53  indi- 
cates the  splendor  or  brightness  pro- 
duced by  the  fire  which  was  rendered 


18 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  I.  13-21. 


14  bright ;  and  out  of  the  fire  went  forth  lightning.  And  the  living 
creatures  ran  and  returned  as  the  appearance  of  a  flash  of 
lightning. 

15  And  I  beheld  the  living  creatures,  and  behold  there  was  one  wheel 

16  upon  the  earth  by  the  living  creatures,  with  its  four  faces.  The 
appearance  of  the  wheels  and  their  work,  was  the  color  of  Tar- 
shish-stone  ;  and  they  four  had  one  likeness  ;  and  their  appear- 


intensely  hot  by  the  coals  with  which  it 
was  fed.  ITi"'?'^  is  to  be  construed  with 
'*5'r:?»  though  differing  in  gender,  the 
idea  of  sex  not  being  involved  in  the 
object.     See  on  ver.  5. 

14.  Hitzig  proposes  to  read  XiS|]  in- 
stead of  i^'is^j  as  Gen.  viii.  7,  but  ac- 
knowledges his  inability  to  reconcile  the 
idea  of  going  and  returning  with  the 
description  verses  19-21.  The  current 
reading  is  more  suitable,  since  the  idea 
of  velocity  which  it  expresses  is  quite 
in  keeping  both  with  that  part  of  the 
description  and  with  the  symbol  of  the 
eagle.  2idl  XiS"!,  the  infinitive  for 
the  finite  forms  of  the  verbs,  is  not  un- 
common in  Hebrew  syntax.  The  root 
NS'H ,  to  run,  which  occurs  nowhci'e  else, 
is  equivalent  to  the  usual  form  ^1"l . 
The  objection  of  Hitzig,  that  the  idea  of 
running  and  returning  does  not  cor- 
respond with  that  of  the  equable  motion 
of  the  wheels,  is  of  no  force,  since  the 
action  predicated  is  not  that  of  the  living 
creatures,  or  of  the  wheels  attached  to 
them,  but  that  of  the  fire  shooting  forth 
its  flames.  To  cancel  the  whole  verse, 
with  this  author,  because  it  is  omitted 
by  the  LXX.,  would  be  most  unwarrant- 
able. Tlie  conjectural  change  of  PJ3 
into  p'^2  5  is  equally  unjustifiable.  The 
latter  word,  which  occurs  at  the  end  of 
the  preceding  verse,  is  a  general  term 
for  Uglitning,  the  former  is  designed  to 
express  its  coruscations  or  flashes.    Comp. 

the  Arab,  i  VvJ  ?  io  throw  out,  send  forth, 

to  scatter,  to  sow.  Parchon  explains  the 
word  by  p"lisn  '{^"O, species fulguris.  De 
Rossi's  codices  60  and  637  have  gallice 

K?'iiISC3? ,  I'elincelle,  scintilla. 


15-21.  The  prophet  now  proceeds  to 
describe  the  wheels  which  conveyed  the 
living  creatures.  They  were  four  in 
number,  and  of  the  singular  structure, 
that  one  wheel  appeared  transversely 
within  another,  so  that  the  chariot  might 
roll  on  without  turning,  to  whichever 
quarter  the  four  living  creatures  sup- 
porting it  were  to  advance.  Hitzig  ac- 
knowledges a  difficulty  in  '^''iSl ,  his/aces, 
and  not  finding  any  term  corresponding 
to  it  in  the  LXX.,  at  once  cancels  it. 
Eosenmullcr  refers  it  to  chariot  undei'- 
stood,  but  not  expressed,  which  Maurcr 
considers  harsh  ;  and  both  he  and  Hav- 
ernick  prefer  the  reference  to  CSSIX , 
the  ivheels,  the  singular  affix  1 ,  his,  being 
nsed  collectively ;  which  seems,  on  the 
whole,  the  true  exegesis.  The  observa- 
tion that  one  of  the  wheels  was  j'"^-??  » 
in  the  earth,  intimates  that  only  one  of 
the  transverse  wheels  appeared  in  contact 
with  the  ground  at  the  same  time,  i.e. 
viewing  the  cliariot  from  one  of  its  sides, 
it  being  understood  that  the  same  was 
the  case  in  regard  to  the  corresponding 
wheel  on  the  opposite  side.  "'n>t ,  one, 
is  regarded  in  relation  to  the  wheel 
within  a  wheel,  and  not  to  the  entire 
number.  By  '^Ir)?'? »  ihe  work  of  the 
wheels,  is  meant  the  material  of  the 
workmanship,  not  the  fabrication  of  it. 
f  lO^n ,  gem  or  precious  stone  of  Tar- 
shish  ;  Aquil.  xp^'^oKiOov ;  Sym.  vukivOov  ; 
the  LXX.  dapa-eis,  which  is  merely  the 
Hebrew  name  in  Greek  letters,  on  which 
the  Scholiast  remarks,  rh  Oapa-els  XP"- 
ff6\i06v    (pr)<nv,    ^     vaKivBov.      Kimchi, 

n^srn  '{^vh  naij .    it  is  supposed  to 

have  meant  the  topaz,  a  gem  still  found 
in  Spain,  and  known  to  the  ancients  by 


Chap.  I.  15-22.] 


EZEKIEL. 


19 


17 

18 

19 
20 


21 


22 


ance  and  their  work  was  as  it  were  a  wheel  within  a  wheel. 
When  they  went,  they  went  upon  their  four  sides  ;  they  turned 
not  when  they  went.  And  as  for  their  felloes,  and  their  height, 
they  were  terrible,  and  their  felloes  were  full  of  eyes  round  about 
them  four.  And  when  the  living  creatures  went,  the  wheels 
went  beside  them,  and  when  the  living  creatures  were  lifted  up 
from  the  earth,  the  wheels  were  lifted  up.  Whithersoever  the 
spirit  was  to  go,  they  went,  whither  the  spirit  was  to  go ;  and 
the  wheels  were  lifted  up  along  with  them  for  the  spirit  of  the 
living  creature  was  in  the  wheels.  When  those  went,  these  went, 
and  when  those  stood,  these  stood  ;  and  when  those  were  lifted  up 
from  the  earth,  the  wheels  were  lifted  up  along  with  them  ;  for  the 
spirit  of  the  living  creature  was  in  the  wheels.  And  the  likeness 
of  the  firmament  above  the  heads  of  the  living  creature  was  as  the 
color  of  the  terrible  crystal,  stretched  forth  over  their  heads  above. 


the  name  of  Tarshish,  from  the  circum- 
stance of  its  having  been  brought  from 
Tartessus.  It  is  smooth  and  brilliant 
in  appearance.  It  formed  one  of  the 
gems  in  the  breastplate  of  the  high-priest. 
Exod.  xxviii.  20.  Comp.  Song  v.  14; 
Ezek.  xxviii.  13  ;  Dan.  x.  6 ;  in  all  which 
passages  it  is  rendered  herjil  in  our  au- 
thorized version.  Vcr.  17.  The  mean- 
ing of  this  verse  is,  that  when  the  wheels 
moved,  they  moved  according  as  eacli  of 
the  lour  quarters  or  sides  of  the  s(iuarc 
chariot  fronted  the  direction  in  which 
the  movement  was  made.  When  a  new 
direction  was  taken,  the  wheels  that  were 
not  to  roll  were  suspended  from  the 
ground,  so  as  to  leave  the  others  free  to 
perform  their  revolutions.  The  C^2y, 
rendered  rhuis  in  the  authorized  version, 
were  the  felloes  forming  the  rim  or  cir- 
cumference of  the  wheels.  They  arc 
described  as  so  very  high  as  to  have  been 
tremendous,  ver.  IS.  Much  as  they  were 
thus  calculated  to  impress  the  mind  of 
the  spectator,  I  can  discover  nothing 
special\y  symbolical  in  the  property  here 
ascribed  to  them,  except  it  be  that,  from 
their  extreme  height,  ns  they  rolled 
round,  the  eyes  that  were  in  them  must 
be  conceived  of  as  commanding  a  com- 
plete view  of  whatever  came  within  the 


sco]>e   of   vision.     In    the   sentence  ^'3 

rvEQ  ^'zh  rzhh  n^i'^rt  Da-n;ii-i'^  idx 

*"rr!^  '^^"'0  •>  the  latter  part  is  not  to  be 
considered  as  a  bare  tautology,  but  is  a 
repetition  for  the  purpose  of  more  forci- 
bly impressing  the  idea  upon  the  mind. 
Dr53"3  ,  in  correspondence,  or  conjunction, 
a/on//  with  them,  vers.  20,  21.  The  adverb 
over  iif/ainfit  is  less  appropriate.  By 
'^^l'^  '^'^'''7  J  ihe  spirit  of  the  livin;/  creature 
(put  collectively  for  creatures)  being  in 
the  wheels,  is  meant  the  iniinilsive  in- 
fluence by  which  they  were  ])ut  and  kept 
in  motion.  See  on  ver.  12,  and  comp. 
chap.  X.  17. 

22.  ??  here  is  not  to  be  rendered  upon, 
as  if  the  firmament  rested  on  the  heads 
of  the  clicrubim,  but  above,  as  distinct 
from  them,  and  occupying  an  elevated 
position.     See  on  vcr.  26.     IT^j:;  prima- 
rily signifies  ice,  and  secondarily  crural, 
from  its  resemblance  to  it.     The  combi- 
nation n^JStn  N'^liij  ,  the  terrible  cnjstal, 
expresses  the   effect  produced   u])on   a 
spectator  by  the  view  of  a  large  mass  of      ^ 
crystallization.     It  is  so  powerful  when       ', 
seen  glistening  in  the  sun,  that  the  eye       ) 
cannot  sustain  its  lustre.      Some   have 
supposed  that  the  diamond  is  meant,  that        1 
gem  being  remarkable  for  its  brilliance      J 
and  hardness. 


20 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  I.  23-27. 


23  And  under  the  firmament  their  wings  were  straight,  one  towards 
another  ;  each  had  two  Avhich  covered  on  this  side,  and  each  had 

24  two  which  covered  on  that  side,  their  bodies.  And  I  heard  the 
sound  of  their  wings,  like  the  sound  of  many  waters,  like  the 
sound  of  the  Almighty,  when  they  went ;  the  sound  of  a  tumult, 
as  the  sound  of  a  host ;  when  they  stood,  they  let  down  their  wings. 

25  And  there  was  a  sound  from  the  expanse  which  was  above  their 
head  when  they  stood  and  let  down  their  wings. 

26  And  above  the  expanse  that  was  over  their  head  was  the  appear- 

ance of  a  sapphire-stone,  the  likeness  of  a  throne  :  and  upon  the 
likeness  of  the  throne,  was  the  likeness  as  the  appearance  of  a 

27  man  above  upon  it.     And  I  saw  as  it  were  the  appearance  of 


23.  Between  the  representation  here 
given  iind  that  which  we  tind  ver.  11, 
there  is  no  positive  contradiction.  Al- 
thouj^h  the  two  wings  which  were  ex- 
panded upwards  were  specially  designed 
for  flying,  yet  till  they  reached  the  sum- 
mit of  the  figure  and  were  parted  from 
each  other,  they  necessarily  covered  the 
upper  part  of  the  body,  while  the  other 
two  were  specially  intended  to  cover  tho 
lower  parts. 

24.  '''i!"^"''''P  >  the  voice  of  the  Almightji, 
means  thunder.  See  Ps.  xxix.  Pip 
i^f  ^"T!  >  occui-ring  only  here,  and  Jer.  xi. 
16,  means  the  sound  of  a  tumult,  such  as 
that  of  a  multitude  of  warriors  rushing 
on  to  the  attack,  as  the  prophet  presently 
explains  ?'?'^  does  not  occur  as  a  root 
in  Hebrew,  but  the  corresponding  Arab. 

J^^JO  ,  continue  pluit,  lihere  fluxit,  sug- 
gests the  idea  of  impetuosity,  or  violent 
rushing,  as  of  a  heavy  rain.  The  LXX. 
according  to  the  Alexandrian  copy  have 
(pwvT)  rod  \oyov,  the  voice  of  the  Lor/os, 
which  Jerome  explains  of  the  second 
person  of  the  Trinity.  They  must  have 
read   n^53n  bip , 

2.5.  As  it  would  have  been  unbefitting 
in  the  living  creatures  to  have  continued 
moving  on  when  the  Almighty  gave  forth 
his  voice,  they  are  here  represented  as 
stopping  in  their  course,  and  reverently 
letting  their  wings  fall,  while  they  listen 
in  silence  to  the  divine  communication. 


26.  Ezekiel  now  advances  to  the  high- 
est point  in  the  vision.  Having  men- 
tioned the  2-'^p'1 ,  expanse,  in  relation  to 
the  figui'es  underneath  it,  his  eye  catches 
a  glance  of  the  throne  of  the  Almighty, 
occupying  a  place  above  it,  and  the  Di- 
vine Being  himself  as  there  enthroned 
in  human  form.  This  divine  manifesta- 
tion is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  The- 
ophanies  of  the  Old  Testament.  "While, 
like  other  anthropomorphic  appearances 
of  the  Deity,  it  was  prelusive  of  the 
future  incarnate  state  of  the  Logos,  it 
distinctly  and  specially  recognized  the 
God-man  Redeemer  in  his  character  as 
the  inflicter  of  punishment  upon  his 
enemies.  Comp.  2  Thess,  i.  7-9 ;  Rev. 
xix.  11-16.  The  throne  is  described 
as  having  the  appearance  of  "i'^QD~"(2X  , 
a  sapphire-stone.  By  this  is  meant,  not 
the  lapis  lazuli,  as  some  have  imagined, 
but  the  gem  properly  called  sapphire; 
which  is  surpassed  only  by  the  diamond 
in  hardness,  lustre,  and  beauty.  It  is 
mostly  of  a  blue  color,  but  is  of  various 
shades,  from  the  deepest  azure  to  the 
purest  white.  In  the  description  given 
of  the  vision  of  the  God  of  Israel  (Exod. 
xxiv.  10),  he  is  said  to  have  had  under 
his  feet  as  it  were  a  transpan-nt  uvrk  of 
sapphire. 

27.  The  description  here  given  of  the 
Son  of  God  quite  corresponds  with  that 
furnished,  Dan.  x.  5,  6 ;  Rev.  i.  14,  1.5. 
Eor  ^^^'^^  see  on  ver.  4.    a^DO  i^V"pi3j^ 


Chap  I.  27,  28.]  EZEKIEL.  21 

polished  brass,  the  likeness  of  fire  within  it  around,  from  the 
appearance  of  his  loins  and  upwards,  and  from  the  appearance 
of  his  loins  and  downwards,  I  saw  as  it  were  the  appearance  of 
is  fire,  and  it  was  surrounded  with  splendor.  As  the  appearance 
of  the  bow  which  is  in  the  cloud  in  the  day  of  rain,  so  was  the 
appearance  of  the  surrounding  splendor.  This  was  the  appear- 
ance of  the  likeness  of  the  glory  of  Jehovah.  And  when  I  saw, 
then  I  fell  upon  my  face,  and  I  heard  a  voice  of  one  that  spake. 

within  it  around^io  indicate  the  intrinsic  cheering  appearance  ofjLglQriQiis_raLn- 

purity  and  terrible  rectitude  of  the  divine  bmv  is   presentecl '  to   the   view  of  the 

judgments.     The  appearance  of  the  Di-  prophet,  who  had  fallen  prostrate  under 

vine   Man   being  wholly  invested   with  an  overwhelming   sense  of  the  majesty 

fire,   lilvewisc  denoted  his   readiness   to  and  glory  of  manifested  Deity.     •^^'J^^ 

punish  the  wicked  with  awful  destruc-  ^S^^>  lit.  and  I  saw  and  I  fell.      The 

tion.  force  of  the  conjunctive  particle  in  this 

28.  To  intimate  that  however  severe  case,  is  simply  to  point  out  the  relation 

should   be   the   divine  judgments,  still  of  the  two  verbs  to  each  other,  the  one 

they  would  be  accompanied  with    dis-  indicating  the  cause,  and  the  other  the 

plays  of   fiiithfuluess    and   mercy,    the  effect. 

Respecting  the  import  of  the  chenibira  described  in  Scripture,  and  more  especially 
those  supposed  to  be  described  in  the  visions  of  Ezekiel,  there  has  been  much  specu- 
lation. Various  attempts  have  been  made  to  harmonize  the  different  passages  in 
which  they  are  presented  to  view,  and  very  different  have  been  the  hypotheses 
which  have  been  constructed  in  elucidation  of  them.  I  sliall  not,  however,  detain 
my  readers  with  anything  in  the  shape  of  a  critical  review  of  these  hypotheses, 
adjusting  their  respective  merits  and  demerits,  or  with  any  attempts  to  prove  their 
inapplicability  to  the  subject  before  us.  I  shall  content  myself  with  examining  the 
various  parts  of  the  picture  in  their  bearing  upon^ the  historical  aspects  of  the  times 
in  which  the  prophet  flourished,  and  The  object  which  the  Spirit  of  inspiration  may 
be  supposed  to  have  had  in  view  in  suggesting  the  images  to  his  mind. 

At  one  time  it  was  fashionable  to  endeavor  to  obtain  light  from  the  aids  of  ety- 
mology; but  all  Hebraists  of  note  now  acquiesce  in  the  opinion,  that  the  search  in 
this  quarter  is  fruitless,  there  being  no  certain  data  on  which  to  rest,  either  in  the 
Hebrew  or  in  any  of  the  cognate  dialects. 

The  principal  difficult}'  which  has  pressed  upon  all  who  have  made  the  vision  the 
subject  of  investigation,  has  consisted  in  their  having  attempted  to  construct  an 
hypothesis  that  should  reconcile  all  the  phenomena  of  the  different  passages  of  scrip- 
ture in  which  the  cherubim  are  presented  to  view.  Accordingly,  though  on  some 
points  their  opinions  might  at  fii-st  sight  appear  to  satisfy  the  claims  of  certain  pas- 
sages, they  are  found  more  or  less  to  clash  with  others ;  as  I  am  satisfied  every 
hypothesis  must  which  laj^s  it  down  as  a  first  principle  that  the  cherubim,  wherever 
they  occur  in  scripture,  are  symbolical  of  the  same  identical  objects.  Of  the  form 
or  appearance  of  those  stationed  at  the  gate  of  Paradise,  and  of  those  placed  on  the 
mercy-seat  in  the  tabeniacle  and  the  temple,  we  have  no  account;  and  all  attempts 
to  transfer  to  them  any  part  or  parts  of  the  description  in  Ezeldel's  vision  proceed 
upon  a  gratuitous  assumption. 

It  must  be  obvious  to  every  attentive  reader  of  the  Bible  that  the  symbols  were 
not  fixed  and  uniform,  but  varied  according  to  circumstances.    Proceeding  upon 


22  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  I. 

this  as  a  generally  admitted  fact,  I  shall  now,  without  stopping  to  examine  the 
import  of  the  symbols  in  other  passages,  proceed  to  place  before  my  readers  what 
appears  to  me  to  be  the  symbolical  teaching  of  the  living  creatures  as  described  by 
Ezekicl.  Regarding  it  as  a  first_grincjpieJiL-henneneutics,  that  the  statements  of  a 
writer  are  to  be  interpreted  in  accordance  with  his  position,  or  the  circumstances  in 
which  he  is  placed,  and  the  scope  and  tenor  of  his  work,  it  is  necessary  that  we 
inquire  what  ,were  those  circumstanges-4Q-theJiiatorvUQf  jjoir  prophet  or  his  times 
that  may  be  supposed  to  thi-ow  light  upon  the  subject.  A  portion  of  the  Jewish  peo- 
ple had  been  transported  to  the  banks  of  the  Chebar.  Their  city  and  temple  still 
stood;  but  the  greater  number  of  the  inhabitants  that  had  been  left  behind  still 
indulged  in  the  grossest  id_olatrousjiracticcs.  To  punisl^^hem  for, their  daring-and 
obstinate-rebellion  against  tha  God  of  their  fathers,  he  had  purposed_to_employ  the 
power  of  the  Chaldeans,  whose  army  should  invade  Judea,  invest  Jerusalem,  burn 
the  city  andtEe  temple,  exercise  the  greatest  cruelties  upon  the  inhabitants,  and 
carry  away  the  principal  of  them  into  captivity  in  Babylon.  Na\vit-Was,  I  conceive, 
toj;epresent  syrnbolically  this  formidable  J)Ostilcj)pw.er,tbat  Ezekiel  had  presented 
to  his  view  in  sublime  vision  a  colossal_compound^ object,  consisting  of  the  resem- 
blance oTfour  living  creatures,  each  of  which  had  the  face  of  a  man,  a  lion,  a  bull, 
and  an  eagle.  Add  to  which,  wheels  of  tremendous  size,  and  wings  for  flight,  with 
hands  for  operation  under  their  wings.  Being  all  designated  living  creatures,  and 
each  of  those  specified  being  the  most  distinguished  of  his  class,  it  is_evident  that 
life  or  vital  energy ji_itsjiighest  visible  creature  forrajsjjitended-to^bij. represented,- 
The  properties  at  once  suggested  by  the  symbols  are  those  of  intelligence,  strengtli, 
swiftness,  andj'erocity.  And  the  combination  of  them  all  in  on^jfigure  I  regard  as 
design'cd  to  set  forth  the  truly  appalling  and  destructive  character  of  the  agency  to 
be  employed  for  the  punishment  of  the  Jews.  They  are  to  be  viewed  noliosjlbstract 
qualities,  but  as  concrete  injhe. person  of  N^ebu^adnezzar  as  the  head  of  the  Baby- 
lonian empire.  Though  the  elements  of  the  vision  are  altogether  unique  in  regard 
to  their  composite  form,  they  are  found  either  separately  or  partially  combined,  as 
symbols  of  royalt^^^ljoth  in  scripture  and  in  profane  antiquity.  "  Throughout  all 
Pagan  mythology,  the  lion  and  the  bull  are  the  emblems,  respectiyely,  of  royalty 
and  of  power,  and  these  animals  are  consequently  of  frequent  recurrence,  either 
singly  or  in  a  form  compounded  of  both  animals,  among  almost  all  the  ancient 
structures  of  Persia."  —  Vaux's  Nineveh  and  Persepolis,  p.  293. 

In  numerous  passages  of  the  Bible  animals  are  employed  to  symbolize  monarcha 
or  royal  personages,  as  heads  of  nations  or  leaders  of  armies.  Thus  the  lion,  as  the 
most  daring  and  powerful  of  all  the  carnivorous  animals,  the  monarch  of  the  forest, 
was  selected  as  the  symbol  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  (Gen,  xlix.9).  in  reference  to  which 
our  Saviour,  in  his  regal  character,  is  styled  "the  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah"  (Rev. 
V.  5).  This  symbol  was  specially  prominent  in  thejauxteen^liojlSJwhich  supported 
and  adoi'ned  the  throne  of  Solomon  (1  Kings_x.  19,J21D.-  Under  the  same  symbol 
the  king  and  royal  family  of  Nineveh  are  represented  (Nah.  ii.  11).  The  ox  or  bull, 
the  principal  animal  of  the  becve  kind,  distinguished  for  his  Strength  and  ferocity, 
is  similarly  employed  as  a  symbol  of  the  prince  of  Shechem  (Gen.  xlix.  6).  In  the 
same  light  we  are  doubtless  to  regard  the  colossal  bull  discovered  by  Layard  among 
the  sculptured  ruins  of  Nineveh,  and  now  in  the  British  Museum.  To  the  formidable 
and  ferocious  character  of  this  animal,  reference  is  made  Ps.  xxii.  12.  With  respect 
to  the  eagle,  renowned  as  the  king  of  the  birds  of  prey,  and  remarkable  for  his  far- 
sightedness, velocity,  and  strength,  he  is  employed  as  a  symbol  of  the  king  of  Baby- 
lon (Ezek.  xvii.  3,  7),  the  swiftness  of  whose  armies  is  compared  to  that  of  the 
eagle  (Hab.  i.  8).  He  is  also  spoken  of  as  the  most  eminent  of  the  birds  of  prey 
(Isa.  xlvi.  11),  to  symbolize  Cyrus,  who  was  tlie  first  to  use  the  figure  of  this  bird 
on  his  military  standard  —  a  custom  afterwards  adopted  by  the  Romans,  and  in 


Chap.  1.]  EZEKIEL.  23 

modern  times  by  the  Austrians,  Russians,  and  other  continental  nations,  all  of  whom 
regard  tlic  eaj^le  as  the  bird  of  victory.  "  It  is  remarkable  that  in  the  earliest  As- 
syrian monuments,  one  of  the  most  frequently  met  with  is  the  eagle-headed  human 
figure.  In  other  cases  the  head  of  the  bird  occurs,  united  with  the  body  of  a  lion." 
— ^Yaux,  ^it  sup.,  p.  32.  If  all  the  properties  thus  symbolized  are  united  with  tho 
intelligence  and  skill  of  man,  we  have  then  one  of  the  most  territic  objects  that  can 
be  presented  to  the  human  imagination.  While  the  symbols  must  have  powerfully 
impressed  the  mind  of  Ezckiel,  and  urged  him  as  a  faithful  watchman  to  give  his 
guilty  people  warning  of  their  impending  danger,  there  was  in  the  rainbow,  as  the 
mild  sign  of _t]ie  covenant,  an  assurance  that  the  judgment  of~God's  providence 
should  be  tempered  with  mercy,  so  that  while  the  incorrigible  should  perish  without 
remedy,  Jehovah  would  treat  the  penitent  with  compassion,  and  make  for  them  a 
way  to  escape.  No  introduction  to  his  prophetic  ministrj'  could  have  been  more 
appropriate. 

Recollecting  that  there  were  no  fewer  than  four  such  compound  symbolical  forms, 
we  are  furnished  with  a  most  imposing  picture  of  the  rapid,  resistless,  ferocious, 
and  all-subduing  conquests  of  the  king  of  Babylon,  powerfully  calculated  to  inspire 
the  Jews  with  terror,  and  induce  them  by  timely  repentance  and  the  abandonment 
of  their  idolatrous  and  other  wicked  courses  to  avert  the  severe  judgments  with 
which  they  were  threatened.  The  idea  of  a  vast  military  apparatus,  with  lofty 
wheels,  bearing  down  upon  them,  full  of  eyes  from  whose  glance  there  could  be  no 
possibility  of  escape,  accompanied  with  images  of  skill,  velocity,  invincibility,  and 
cruelty,  must  have  greatly  increased  their  terror;  and  it  is  only  by  taking  into  con- 
sideration their  deep-rooted  aversion  to  their  covenant-God,  and  their  fixed  deter- 
mination to  cleave  to  their  idols,  that  we  can  account  for  their  rejection  of  the 
prophetic  messages  which  thus  bore  on  their  front  such  portentous  intimations  of 
approaching  wrath. 

In  contemplating  this  sublime  vision,  special  attention  must  be  paid  to  what  is 
exhibited  in  its  two  separate  compartments  —  the  living  creatures  with  all  their 
appurtenances,  as  significant  of  the  providential  execution  of  the  divine  purposes 
on  earth ;  and  the  glory  of  Jehovah,  enthroned  in  human  form  above  the  expanse. 
The  former  is  represented  as  movable,  —  ready,  without  turning  aside  or  back,  to 
proceed  withersoever  it  was  the  divine  purpose  it  should  go ;  the  latter  as  stationary 
and  permanent,  exhibiting  the  Supreme  Ruler  on  the  throne  of  the  universe,  directino- 
and  controlling  all  things  according  to  the  pleasure  of  his  own  will;  managing  with 
perfect  ease  the  vast  concerns  of  his  empire;  making  the  wrath  of  man  to  praise 
him,  and  restraining  the  remainder  of  it.  To  intimate  the  future  incarnate  state  of 
the  Logos,  in  which  were  involved  the  all-important  results  of  redemption,  and  with 
a  view  to  which  the  covenant-people  were  to  be  preserved  in  spite  of  all  the  hostility 
that  might  be  brought  to  bear  upon  them,  the  theophany  exhibits  humanity  upon 
the  throne,  invested  with  all  the  glory  of  Deity. 


24 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  II.  1-3. 


CHAPTER   II. 

Ezekiel  now  receives  his  prophetic  commission,  1-5.  He  is  instructed  not  to  be  intimidated 
by  the  formidable  opposition  he  should  meet  with  from  his  infidel  countrymen,  but 
faithfully  to  deliver  his  message,  6-8 ;  which  is  emblematically  represented  as  being  of 
a  very  mournful  character,  9,  10. 

1  And  he  said  to  me,  Son  of  man  stand  uj^on  thy  feet,  and  I  will 

2  s^Deak  to  thee.     And  the  Spirit  entered  into  me  when  he  spake 
with  me,  and  set  me  on  my  feet;  then  I  heard  him  that  spake 

3  with  me.     And  he  said  unto  me.  Son  of  man,  I  send  thee  to  the 


1.  t:'l5<"'|3,  son  of  man.  This  desig- 
nation, by  which  Ezekiel  is  addressed 
upwards  of  a  hundred  times,  is  given  to 
no  other  prophet  except  Daniel,  who 
receives  it  only  once,  chapter  vjii.-'T7. 
Though  Jerome,  with  whom  Havemick 
agrees,  accounts  for  the  singularity  by 
the  supposition,  that  our  prophet  was 
thus  addressed  to  prevent  his  being  elated 
with  pride  by  the  sublime  visions  with 
which  he  .was  favored,  there  does  not 
appear  to  be  more  in  the  phrase  than  an 
Aramaic_idiom,  in  common  use  in  the 
country  in  which  Ezekiel  M'as  living. 
In  the  Syriac  New  Testament  it  is  of 
frequent  occurrence  asjnerely_garallel 
wit!L'«an.  Thus,  however  strange  it 
may  sound  in  our  ears,  we  read  1  Cor. 
XV.  45,  "  Adam  the  first  son  of  man  ;  " 
and  again,  ver.  47,  "  The  first  son  of  man 
was  of  the  earth  ;  the  second  son  of  man 
was  the  Lord  from  heaven."  Traces  of 
the  same  idiom  occur  in  Hebrew,  in 
which  D'7JJ ,  man,  and  D^X"'j3 ,  son  of 
man,  are  perfectly  parallel,  I^mb.  xxiii. 
19;  Job.  XXV.  6;  xxxv.  8;  Ps.  viii.  5. 
To  encourage  the  prophet,  he  is  com- 
manded to  rise  from  the  prostrate  position 
into  which  he  had  fallen,  and  standing 
on  his  feet,  to  receive  his  commission, 
^nit  instead  of  "(PX ,  as  frequently  in 
Jeremiah. 

2.  It  has  been  made  a  question  whether 
by  HI'l  here  we  are  to  understand  breqtii, 
the  animal  spirit,  or  the  Holy  Spirit  of 
GocT  as  imparted  f6r~Tnvigdrating  the 


exhausted  mind  of  the  prophet.  As  the 
Queen  of  Sheba  was  so  overcome  by  the 
sight  of  the  splendor  of  Solomon's  royal 
court,  that  it  is  said  there  was  no  more 
H"'l ,  spirit  or  breath,  in  her,  1  Kings  x.  5, 
thus  it  has  been  maintained,  Ezekiel  was 
so  completely  overpowered  by  the  tran- 
scendent splendor  of  the  Lord's  glory, 
presented  to  his  view  as  narrated  in  the 
preceding  chapter,  that  he  had  fallen 
exhausted  to  the  earth,  i.  28.  The  con- 
necting of  the  entering  of  this  Ruach 
with  the  address  that  was  given  to  the 
prophet,  might  seem  to  argue  that  the 
term  is  to  be  taken  in  this  inferior  ac- 
ceptation ;  but  the  effect  of  its  entering 
into  him  being  represented  as-4»afctn^ 
him  to  stand  on  bis  feet^-decides^  the 
question  in  favor  of  the  Spirit  .oLGod' 
being  In  tended.  The  speaker  on  this, 
as  on  other  occasions,  w.ns  tbe^  T.ofjos. 
who  commissioned  the  prophets,  and 
revealed  to  them  the  divine  will.  The 
Dagcsh  forte  in  the  Daleth  of  ^^/p^ , 
which  the  punctator  appears  to  have 
placed,  on  the  supposition  that  the  word 
was  the— f>a*ticiphi  of  Hithpacl,  affords 
no  sense.  It  should  be  pointed  '^?'5'? 
the  participle  of  Piel,  and  this  punctua- 
tion we  find  in  some  oX  the  best  Hebrew 
MSST'"'" 

3.  Ezekiel  is  reminded  of  the  fact,  of 
which  he  must  have  had  abundant  proofs 
before  he  left  Jerusalem,  that  the  people 
among  whom  he  was  to  exercise  his 
prophetic  ministry  had  all  along  been 


% 


Chap.  II.  3-7  ] 


E  Z  E  K I E  L . 


25 


children  of  Israel,  to  rebellious  heathen,  who  have  rebelled 
against  me,  they  and  their  fathers  have  sinned  against  me,  unto 
this  very  day.  And  as  for  the  children,  they  are  hard-faced  and 
stout-hearted.  I  send  thee  to  them,  and  thou  shalt  say  unto 
them  :  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah.  And  as  for  them,  whether 
they  will  hear,  or  whether  they  will  forbear  (for  they  are  a 
rebellious  house),  they  shall  assuredly  know  that  a  prophet  hath 
been  among  them.  And  thou,  son  of  man,  be  not  afraid  of  them, 
neither  be  afraid  of  their  words,  though  briers  and  thorns  be 
with  thee,  and  thou  dwellest  among  scorpions  ;  be  not  afraid  of 
their  words,  neither  be  dismayed  at  their  looks,  though  they  are 
a  rebellious  house.  And  thou  shalt  speak  my  words  unto  them, 
whether  they  will  hear,  or  whether  they  will  forbear ;  for  they 


notorious  for  their  rebellious  disposition 
towards  their  covenant-God.  Though, 
instead  of  D']'15  ,  nations,  Gentiles,  heathens, 
one  of  De  Rossi's  MSS.,  the  Syr.,  and 
the  Targum  read  '''^j^^j.^mtion,  in  the 
singular,  yet  the  plural  form  seems  to 
have  been  purposely  chosen  in  order 
emphatically  to  express  the  heathenish 
character  of  the  Jewish  people,  which 
they  had  acquired  by  adopting  the  idola- 
trous practices  of  the  nations  by  whom 
they  were  surrounded.  In  like  manner 
Xsaiah  identifies  the  people  in  his  day 
with  the  inhabitants  of  Sodom  and  Go- 
morralijjjjil.  The  position  of,lIitzig. 
that  the  plural,  and  not  the  singular,  is 
employed,  because  the  PIcbrcws,  to  whom 
the  prophet  was  sent,  were  no  longer  a 
nation,  but  only  separate  portions  of  it, 
is  by  no  means  borne  out  by  the  signi- 
fication of  C^iS  ,  nations,  Deut.  xxviii.  12, 
to  which  he  refers. 

4.  CpS'l »  the  children,  is  to  be  taken 
as  a  noun  absolute,  and  is  a  resumption 
of  r^'Sf];  J  they,  in  the  preceding  verse. 
It  places  the  living  generation  in  more 
aggravating  apposition  with  crii3S , 
their  fathers.  C"'|IS  rtjp  ,  hard-faced,  im- 
pudent, shameless.  Those  whom  the 
prophet  had  to  address  had  put  on  a 
bold  front,  and  were  resolute  in  their 
determination  to  cleave  to  their  abomi- 
nations. Their  very  countenance  was* 
an  index  to  their  obstinacy  of  heart. 
3 


5.  The  form  CX  -  GN  ,  ;/—  //;  or  wheth- 
er—  whether,  puts  two  snpposable,  but 
uncertain  cases.  Were  the  former  re- 
alized, there  would  be  the  exercise  of 
pardoning  mercy ;  in  case  there  should 
be  a  desisting  to  hear,  or  a  rejection  of 
the  prophet's  message,  the  consequent 
infliction  of  the  threatened  punishment 
would  be  an  irrefragable  proof  of  his 
divine  commission.  The  copulative  T, 
in  ''-'"l^l  is  emphatic  :  thci/  shall  cerlainlij 
know. 

G,  7.  The  repetition  of  X'nT]-^X ,  he 
not  afraid,  f^ives  peculiar  emphasis  to  the 
sentence,  and  is  not  to  be  exchanged  in 
the  second  instance  for  nnn'bx ,  be  not 
dismayed,  as  Hitzig  proposes,  to  make 
the  original  correspond  to  chap.  iii.  9, 
and  to  eKirr-ps  of  the  LXX.  The  very 
circumstance  that  rinp-bx'!  nHin"i>X 
occur  together  immediately  after.renders 
it  less  probable  that  an  error  of  tran- 
sci'iption  is  to  be  suspected  in  the  present 
instance.  There  is  no  variation  in  the 
MSS.  Ezekiel  was  not  to  allow  himiself 
to  be  intimidated  by  the  formidable  op- 
position he  should  meet  with  from  his 
countrymen.  Because  3t!P  in  Chaldco 
signifies  to  be  refractor//,  rehellious,  Ge- 
senius,  Lee,  and  others,  ascribe  this 
signification  to  the  Hebrew  here,  where 
the  noun  occurs  as  a  a7ra|  Ki-y. ;  but  from 
D'^3^0  occurrin;j:in  immediate  combina- 
tion with    D'^pii'D ,     thorns,   it    appears 


26 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  II.  7-10. 


10 


are  most  rebellious.  But  thou,  son  of  man,  hear  what  I  say  to 
thee :  be  not  thou  rebellious  like  the  rebellious  house ;  open 
thy  mouth  and  eat  that  which  I  give  thee.  And  I  looked,  and 
behold  a  hand  was  extended  to  me,  and  behold  there  was  in  it 
a  roll  of  a  book.  And  he  spread  it  before  me,  and  it  was  written 
on  the  face  and  the  back ;  and  there  was  written  on  it.  Lamen- 
tations  AND    MOURNING   AND    WOE. 


more  natural  to  adopt  the  acceptation 
in  which  it  is  taken  by  the  Eabliins,  who 
render  it  by  hrieis  or  nettles.  Compare 
for  tlie  etymology  v)jD ,  C]j'.y ,  2"^^  ,  to 
hum,  "iSIP  >  vetlle,  as  the  Latin  urtica 
from  vro,  to  burn,  in  reference  to  the 
burning  sensation  occasioned  by  the 
stinging  of  the  nettle.  Iloubigant  is  of 
opinion  that  this  signification  of  the  term 
may  be  supported  on  the  ground  that  it 
is  parallel  with  scorpions,  which  occurs 
afterwards  in  the  verse ;  C^prD  occurs 
again  in  the  singular,  "{"i^D ,  with  the 
signification  of  thorn,  chap,  xxviii.  24. 
The  noun  is  derived  from  5^0  ,  to  raise, 
elevate,  hence  used  of  the  boughs  and 
twigs  of  the  palm-tree,  and  so  of  the 
thorns  or  prickles  with  which  they  arc 

covered.     Thusthe  Arab.  sLLww  ,  spinoe 

in  pahnarum  ramis.  !2'^py  ,  the  scorpion, 
is  a  formidable  insect,  the  body  of  which 
terminates  abruptly  in  a  jointed  tail, 
armed  at  the  extremity  with  an  acute 
spike.  It  lives  in  places  exposed  to  the 
sun,  and,  hiding  under  stones  or  in 
crevicp'?.  :uns  rapidly  when  disturbed, 
with  its  tail  curved  over  its  back.  The 
larger  ones  in  tropical  climes  are  from 
five  to  eight  inches  in  length,  and  have 
a  sting  which  is  very  much  dreaded,  as 
its  poison  frequently  causes  convulsions 
and  death.  In  some  places  they  are  so 
numerous  as  to  become  a  constant  object 
of  apprehension  to  the  inhabitants.  By 
the  use  of  these  metaphors,  borrowed 
from  the  vegetable  and  animal  kingdoms, 
Jehovah  indicates  to  the  proj^het  the 
annoying  and  dangerous  character  of 
those  to  whom  he  was  sent.  Instead  of 
'^'y^ ,  rebellion,  in  ver.  7,  twenty  MSS., 


the  LXX.,  Syr.,  Arab.,  and  Targ.  read 
i"i"3  ri^2 ,  house  of  rebellion,  or,  taking 
■^'^"2  adjectively,  rebellious  house.  This 
reading,  which  is  that  in  vers.  5,  6,  and 
8,  and  chap.  iii.  26,  27,  is  also  found  in 
three  of  the  earliest  editions.  The  Chald. 
has  C^ ,  people.  On  the  ground,  that 
■ahstynpt  nouns^_arc  used  to  express  in- 
tensify, our  translators  render  "^^  By 
most  rebellious. 

8-10.  There  was  so  much  in  the  com- 
munications which  Ezekiel  had  to  make 
that  was  calculated  to  stir  up  the  enmity 
of  the  hearts  of  his  people  against  him, 
that  he  must  naturally  have  shrunk  l>ack 
from  the  undertaking,  or  been  tempted 
to  modify  or  soften  down  the  terms  of 
his  message.  He  is,  therefore,  warned 
not  to  imitate  his  coiuitrymen  in  their 
refractory  and  disobedient  disposition, 
but  fully  to  possess  himself  of  that  mes- 
sage, carefully  to  digest  it  in  his  mind, 
and  faithfully  to  deliver  it  to  his  hearers. 
To  express  the  former  of  these  ideas,  the 
metaplior  of  eating  food  is  employed, 
just  as  Jer.  xv.  10  ;  Ezek.  iii.  1  ;  Rev. 
X.  9.  10  ;  ^vliicJl__last•cite4--pa£sage_i3 
exacdv_j2aranel_jWtli_tlicJaiig^ 
o\ir  prophet.  Of  course  the  language  is 
to  be  understood  S3™bolically,  and  not 
of  a  real  transaction ;  just  as  when  we 
speak  of  devourinc/  a  book,  the  meaning 
is  that  we  peruse  it  with  the  greatest 
avidity.  Thus  also  the  Latin,  devorarc, 
deglutire,  imbibere.  The  books  of  the 
ancients  were  in  tlic^JiapeaiL-tolls,  and 
were  usually  written  on  what  would  be 
the  inside  when  rolled  up.  When,  how- 
ever, the  quantity  of  matter  was  too 
•great  to  admit  of  its  being  contained 
within   this   space,  the   remainder   was 


Chap.  III.  1-6.] 


EZEKIEL. 


2T 


inscribed  on  the  back.  Hence  the  plirase  of  the  present  roll  were,  their  import  is 
"linxi  D'^3Q  >  on  the  face,  and  the  hack,  summed  up  in  the  three  emphatic  words 
Tlic^rnAide  is  called  the  face,  because  "^Ht  '^?\!t  ^'"'^'Vli^cimentat ions  a.ni\.  mourn- 
when  unrolled  it  is  that  which  presents  inrj  and  woe.  "^H  is  formed,  by  apha;resis 
itself  to  view.     Large  as  the  contents  of  3 ,  from  "^H.? »  a  dMij  or  doleful  song. 


CHAPTER   III. 

This  chapter  begins  with  a  resumption  of  the  subject  with  which  that  preceding  had  con- 
cluded, somewhat  amplifying  it,  and  stating  the  prophet's  compliance  with  the  injunc- 
tion given  him,  1-3.  He  has  again  placed  before  him  the  obstinate  character  of  those 
to  whom  he  was  sent,  4-7;  but  he  is  assured  that  he  shall  be  enabled  to  confront  them, 
8-10.  He  is  next  carried  in  vision  to  a  colony  of  Jews  in  the  neighborhood,  11-15; 
where,  after  a  period  of  seven  days,  he  receives  a  fresh  charge,  16-21.  Having  been 
removed  to  some  distance,  he  is  favored  with  a  repetition  of  the  vision  of  the  Shcchinah, 
that  he  might  be  further  instructed  how  to  proceed,  and  told  what  would  bo  the  result 
of  his  mission,  22,  23.  He  is  then  commanded  to  retire  to  his  house,  where  he  is  to  be 
restrained  for  a  season  from  public  duty,  and  afterwards  to  go  forth  and  announce  to 
the  people  that  it  was  at  their  option  whether  they  would  obey  or  not,  24-27. 

1  And  he  said  unto  me,  Son  of  man,  eat  that  which  thou  findest,  eat 

2  this  roll,  and  go,  speak  unto  the  house  of  Israel.     Then  I  opened 

3  my  mouth,  and  he  caused  me  to  eat  that  rolh  And'he  saidimto 
me.  Son  of  man,  cause  thy  belly  to  eat,  and  fill  thy  bowels  with 
this  roll  which  I  give  thee.     Then  I  ate  it,  and  it  was  in  my 

4  mouth  like  honey  for  sweetness.  And  he  said  unto  me,  Son  of 
man,  come,  go  unto  the  house  of  Israel,  and  speak  with  my 

5  words  unto  them.     For  thou  art  not  sent  unto  a  people  deep  of 


1.  Instead  of  5N"^b'^  1^"'?»  house  of 
Israel,  the  reading  ^^^'^^'^  ""SS  >  children 
of  Israel,  is  found  in  eigliteen  of  Kcnni- 
cott  and  Dc  Eossi's  MSS. ;  it  has  origi- 
nally been  in  four  more,  is  now  in  one 
by  emendation,  and  a])pears  in  the  printed 
text  of  the  Soncinian  edition.  It  has  the 
suifrages  of  the  Syr.,  Vulg.,  and  Chakl. 
The  present  textual  reading  occurs  ver. 
4,  Avithout  any  variation  in  the  MSS. 
and  versions. 

3.  The  prophet  is  again  charged,  in 
more  particular  terms,  to  appropriate 
the  contents  of  the  roll.  The  language 
is  of  the  same  metaphorical  stamp  as 
before.  The  delightful  sensation  which 
he  experienced,  notwithstanding  the 
doleful   character  of  the  roll,  was  pro- 


duced by  the  conviction,  that  the  mes- 
sages which  it  contained  were  instiupt 
with  g;lorimis~T?shibitiQiis  of  tlic  divine 
holiness  and  the  equity  of  the  divine 
government  —  subjects  which  must  ever 
afford  refined  pleasure  to  the  renewed 
mind.  Compare,  as  parallel  in  senti- 
ment and  phraseology,  Ecv.  x.  8-11. 
'Hitzig  remarks,  that  the  ^  in  "^^ri*?  > 
is  raphe,  on  account  of  the  distinctive 
accent. 

5,  6.  Till'V  ""^13=1  ^?'t?  ''i?'??  '  lit-  (^^'^P 
of  lip  and  heavy  of  tongue  :  phraseology 
formed  with  reference  to  a  malformation 
of  the  organs  of  speech,  by  wliich  the 
expression  of  ideas  by  articulate  sounds 
is  rendered  difficult  and  iminteliigible. 
It  was  natural  for  the  Hebrews  to  nse  it 


28 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  HI.  5-13. 


10 


11 


12 


13 


speech  and  heavy  of  tongue,  but  unto  the  house  of  Israel.  Not 
to  many  peoples  of  deep  speech  and  heavy  of  tongue,  whose 
words  thou  shouldest  not  understand  :  surely  if  I  had  sent  thee 
unto  them,  they  would  have  listened  unto  thee.  But  tlie  house 
of  Israel  will  not  listen  unto  thee,  for  tliey  are  not  willing  to 
listen  unto  me  :  for  all  the  house  of  Israel  are  of  impudent  fore- 
head, and  hard-hearted.  Behold,  I  have  made  thy  face  strong 
against  their  faces,  and  thy  forehead  strong  against  their  fore- 
heads. As  an  adamant,  harder  than  flint,  liave  I  made  thy  fore- 
liead ;  be  not  afi'aid  of  them,  neitlier  be  dismayed  at  their  faces, 
though  they  are  a  rebellious  house.  He  said  further  unto  me, 
Son  of  man,  all  my  words  which  I  shall  speak  unto  thee,  receive 
in  thy  heart  and  hear  with  thine  ears.  And  come,  go  to  the 
captivity,  to  the  children  of  thy  people,  and  speak  unto  them, 
and  say  unto  them,  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  whether  they 
will  hear,  or  whether  they  will  forbear.  Then  the  Spirit  lifted 
me  up,  and  I  heard  behind  me  the  sound  of  a  great  rushing, 
saying,  Blessed  be  the  glory  of  Jehovah  from  his  place.     Also 


when  speaking  of  foi-eigncrs  whose  lan- 
guage they  did  not  understand.  To 
show  more  strikingly  the  unreasonable- 
ness of  the  Jewish  people  in  rejecting 
the  message  of  the  prophet,  he  is  told 
that  i£Jae-lind^l)ecn_£eiU_to_any_of_the 
barbarous  nations  with  whose  language 
he  ^Yi1p  nT^jirqiinintPd^Jjipy  wnnlfl  xmxor- 
thcless__Imxc  atleast  listened,  and  not 
turnedjudcaileai'  to  him.  Konc  of  the 
ancient  versions  have  expressed  S5b  after 
DX  in  ver.  6.  The  only  waj^  of  inter- 
preting the  two  particles  as  here  com- 
bined is  to  regard  them  as  expressing 
a  strong  asseveration  or  obtestation. 
Comp.  Job  i.  iTf  TiT^ST'  xxii.  20  ;  Isa. 
V.  9.  They  are  therefore  properly  ren- 
dered surely  in  our  Authorized  Version  ; 
and  the  rendering  of  Newcomc,  who 
retains  the  negative  sense,  is  to  be  re- 
jected. 

7.  The  Jews  labored  under  no  physical 
incapacity  to  understand  the  prophet, 
but  were  morally  disinclined  to  listen  to 
the  divine  message  by  whomsoever  it 
might  be  delivered. 

8, 9.  Ezekiel  was  not  to  be  discouraged 


or  intimidated  by  the  shameless  treat- 
ment he  had  to  expect  from  his  country- 
men. Strengthened  by  Him  of  whose 
message  he  was  the  bearer,  he  should  be 
able  to  face  them  with  all  boldness,  and 
unreseiwedly  to  make  known  to  them 
the  divine  communications. 

12,  13.  By  ni"i  here  we  are  not,  with 
Hitz;g  and  others,  to  understand  ia)it!, 
but  the  prophetic  Spirit  by  whom  Eze- 
kiel was  impelled  to  proceed  on  his  mis- 
sion. Comp.  Acts  viii.  39  :  Uvevfia 
Kvpiov  T^piroire  rhv  ^iAnrTrof.  In  neither 
case  is  a  supernatural  passage  thi'ough 
the  air  to  be  imagined.  The  import  of 
the  sound  of  great  rushing,  wliich  the 
prophet  heard,  was  an  ascription  of 
praise  to  the  divine  glory  which  he  had 
seen  above  the  firmament,  chap.  i.  26-28. 
The  manifestations  of  that  glory  had 
been  at  the  temple  of  Jerusalem,  but  had 
now  departed  and  been  withdrawn  to  the 
immediate  divine  prcsencfi_Jji- Jie^iven. 
In  connection  with  the  display  of  that 
glory  which  Ezekiel  had  witnessed,  he 
now  hears  the  sound  of  the  cherubic 
apparatus  as  already  on  its  way  towards 


Chat.  III.  13-21.] 


EZEKIEL. 


29 


14 


15 


the  sound  of  the  wiugs  of  the  living  creatures  touching  each 
other,  and  tlie  sound  of  the  wheels  over  against  them,  even  the 
sound  of  a  great  rusliing.  And  the  Spirit  lifted  me  up,  and  took 
me  away.  And  I  went  in  bitterness,  in  the  heat  of  my  spirit ; 
and  the  hand  of  Jehovah  was  strong  upon  me.  And  I  came  to 
the  captives  at  Tel-abib,  who  dwelt  on  the  river  Chebar,  and 
I  beheld  them  sitting  there,  and  I  sat  there  seven  days,  aston- 
ished, among  them. 
IG  And  it  came  to  pass  at  the  end  of  seven  days,  that  the  word  of 
17  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying:  Son  of  man,  I  have  appointed 
thee  a  watchman  to  the  house  of  Israel ;  hear  then  the  word 
from  my  mouth,  and  warn  them  from  me.  When  I  say  to  the 
wicked,  Thou  shalt  surely  die,  and  thou  warnest  him  not,  nor 
speakest  to  warn  the  wicked  from  his  wicked  way,  to  make  him 
live,  that  wicked  man   shall  die  in  his  iniquity,  but  his  blood 


18 


Jerusalem.  The  Cip'3  f  place  of  the  di- 
vine glory,  was  that  of  its  manifestation 
over  the  mercy-seat.  As  it  indicated  the 
peculiar  presence  of  Jehovah,  thither 
the  special  adoration  of  the  Jews  "was 
directed.  The  50  prefixed  is  privative 
in  signification,  and  expresses  the  remo- 
val of  the  Shechinah  from  the  temple. 
See  chap.  ix.  3. 

14.  Partly  alarmed  by  the  sound,  and 
partlj^  discouraged  by  anticiiDating  the 
fruitless  results  of  his  mission,  the  proph- 
et proceeded  with  a  heavy  heart,  but  a 
powerful  divine  impulse  urged  him  foi'- 
wards. 

15.  3''3I5  ^O,  I'el-ahih,  an  accusative 
absolute,  the  name  of  a  place  in  the 
neighborhood,  most  probably  the  princi- 
pal location  of  the  captive  Jews.  ?n 
signifies  ai  elevation,  mound,  or  heap,  and 
is  still  incorporated  with  the  names  of 
ruined  cities  in  the  East.  Michaelis 
supposes  the  town  to  be  the  same  that 
is  called  Thallaha  an  the  map  of  D'An- 
ville,  situated  on  the  Chabour,  between 
Kesein  and  Obeidia.  If  the  name  was 
given  to  the  place  by  the  Jewish  captives, 
it  may  have  been  intended  to  express 
their  hopes  of  future  restoration,  2'^35J 
signifying  the  green  ears  of  corn  which 

;  appeared  iu  the  month  Nisan,  the  first 
3* 


of  the  civil  months  of  the  Jewish  year. 
To  2'43N1 ,  as  occurring  first  in  this  verse 
in  many  of  the  best  MSS.,  and  three  of 
the  early  editions,  and  which  the  Kcri, 
after  the  Chald.,  approves,  "i^:>?l  of  the 
Textus  Receptus  is  decidedly  to  be  pre- 
ferred, since  the  other  reading  makes  no 
sense.  The  root  of  "I'l^X  is  I^O,  to  look, 
behold,  and  the  punctuation  should  be 
ndX,  as  Dp^X,  1  Kings  iii.  21.'  That 
il5an  is  to  be  taken  in  the  oblique  case, 
Hitzig  justifies  by  a  reference  to  Jer.  xlvi. 
5,  nan  Tj'^N'n  ^^I'n^ ,  .ind  removes  the 
zakeph  katon  from  the  preceding  word. 
When  the  prophet  arrived  at  Tel-abib, 
instead  of  finding  the  Jews  engaged 
with  diffei'cnt  occupations,  he  beheld 
them  sitting  on  the  banks  of  the  river, 
no  doubt  in  the  attitude  of  grief  on  ac- 
count of  their  banishment  from  Jeru- 
salem. Comp.  Ps.  cxxxvii.  1.  Partly 
from  a  kindred  feeling,  and  partly  to 
show  his  sympathy  with  them,  Ims  took 
his  place  among  them  in  the  same  atti- 
tude, disconsolate,  for  the  space  of  seven 
days. 

16-21.  It  is  well  remarked  by  Fair- 
bairn,  that  Ezekiel  alone  of  all  the  proph- 
ets is  formally  appointed  to  the  office  of 
watchman.  In  this  interesting  para- 
graph he  is  specially  instructed  respect- 


30  E  Z  E  K I E  L  .  [Chap.  III.  16-27. 

19  will  I  require  at  thy  hand.^  And  tliou,  wJien  thou  warnest  the 
wicked,  and  he  turneth  not  from  his  wickedness  and  from  his 
wicked  way,  he  shall  die  in  his  wickedness,  but  thou  hast  deliv- 

20  ered  thy  soul.  And  when  a  righteous  man  turneth  from  his 
righteousness,  and  committeth  wickedness,  and  I  put  a  stum- 
bling-block before  him  he  shall  die  ;  because  thou  warnedst  him 
not,  he  shall  die  in  his  sin,  and  his  righteousnesses  which  he 
hath  wrought  shall  not  be  remembered,  but  his  blood  I  will 

21  require  at  thy  hand,  v  But  thou,  when  thou  warnest  a  righteous 
man  not  to  sin,  and  the  righteous  man  sinneth  not,  he  shall 
surely  live,  because  he  took  warning,  and  thou  hast  delivered 

22  thy  soul,  /  And  the  hand  of  Jehovah  was  there  upon  me,  and 
he  said  unto  me:  Arise,  go  forth  unto  the  valley,  and  there  will 

23  I  speak  unto  thee.  Then  I  arose,  and  went  forth  unto  the 
valley,  and  behold,  the  glory  of  Jehovah  was  standing  there,  as 
the  glory  which  I  beheld  by  the  river  Chebar,  and  I  fell  upon 

24  my  face.  Then  the  Spirit  entered  into  me,  and  caused  me  to 
stand  upon  my  feet,  and  he  spake  unto  me,  and  said  unto  me : 

25  Go,  shut  thyself  up  in  the  midst  of  thy  house.  But  thou,  son 
of  man,  behold,  they  will  put  cords  upon  thee,  and  bind  thee 

26  with  them,  and  thou  shalt  not  go  forth  among  them.     And  I 

ing  the  duties  of  his  office,  and  shown  prophet,  he  receives  an  inspired  charge 

the  bearing  of  the  discharge,  or  the  neg-  to  repair  to  a  valley   or  jilain  in    the 

lect  of  them,  both  on  his  own  interests  neigliborhood,  that  there,  in  a  state  of 

and  on  the  interests  of  those  to  whom  seclusion  from  his  countrymen,  he  might 

he  was  sent.     The  awful  responsibility  obtain  a  fresh  manifestation  of  the  divine 

of  the  public  teachers  of  religion  is  here  glory,  and  receive  further   communica- 

strikingly  depicted.  tions  from  the  Angel  of  the  Covenant 

20.   ?Tw273  ,  a  stumbling-block,  or  occa-  The  "^^TT?  is  not  further  described,  but 

sion  of  moral  falling.     It  is  thus  the  it  was  in  all  probability,  a  cleft  or  tJalley 

passage  is   to  be   understood ;   for  we  between  two  mountains,  running  in  the 

cannot  conceive  of  God's   laying  any-  direction  of  the  Chebar.     As  the  vision 

thing  in  the  way  of  a  moral  agent  that  here  specified  is  restricted  to  the  glory 

would    necessarily  cause    him   to   sin.  of  the  Lord,  it  is  evident  it  did  not  in- 

There   may  be  an   adaptation   in    the  elude  that  of  the  cherubim, 
object  to  call  forth  the  sinful  propensities        24-27.  Having  been  again  raised  by 

of  the  human  heart,  but  there  is  no  com-  the  power  of  the  Divine  Spirit  from  the 

pulsory  influence  exerted  in  any  way  to  ground,  on  which  he  iiad  fallen,  Ezekiel 

affect  the  free-agency  of  the  individual,  is  charged  to  return  and  shut  himself  up 

For  "inplS  in  the  singular  the  Keri  has  in  his  house,  with  the  intimation  that 

1'^ri'ip"Tl£   in  the  plural,  to   agree  with  he  should  be  restrained  for  a  time  from 

3";5jn .  discharging  the  duties  of  his  prophetic 

22.  Eor  the  purpose  of  producing  a  office,  after  which  he  was  to  announce 

deeper  impression  upon  the  mind  of  the  to  the  people  that  they  had  to  make  their 


Chap.  IV.  1,  2.] 


EZEKIEL. 


31 


will  make  thy  tongue  cleave  to  the  roof  of  thy  mouth,  and  thou 
shalt  be  dumb,  and  shalt  not  be  to  them  a  reprover,  for  they 
27  are  a  rebellious  house.  But  when  I  speak  unto  thee,  I  will 
open  thy  mouth,  and  thou  shalt  say  unto  them,  Thus  saith  the 
Lord  Jehovah :  He  that  heareth,  let  him  hear ;  and  he  that 
forbeareth,  let  him  forbear ;  for  they  are  a  rebellious  house. 


election,  whether  tliey  would  receive  or 
reject  the  divine  message.  The  binding 
of  the  prophet  by  the  people  is  not  to  be 
understood  literally,  but  is  spoken  alle- 
gorically  of  the  influence  which  their 
rebellious  conduct  would  exert  upon  his 
spirit,  filling  him  with  despondency,  and 
thus  disqualifying  him  from  frankly  and 
faithfully  bearing  his  testimony  against 


them.  Nothing  is  more  dispiriting-  to 
a  minister  than  to  see  his  people  indis- 
posed to  profit  by  his  labors.  As  a  just 
judgment  upon  them,  God  threatens 
that  he  would  render  his  servant  incapa- 
ble of  ministering  among  them,  than 
which  we  cannot  imagine  a  worse  state 
in  which  a  people  can  be  left. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

Under  the  symbol  of  a  siege  the  prophet  is  commanded  to  portray  the  investment  of  Jeru- 
salem by  the  Chaldeans,  1-3;  then  to  lie  a  certain  number  of  days  on  his  two  sides 
alternately,  as  under  a  heavy  burden,  to  serve  as  a  type  of  the  punishment  to  which  the 
Hebrews  of  the  two  kingdoms  wore  to  be  subjected  for  their  sins,  4-6.  To  represent 
the  extremities  to  which  they  were  to  be  exposed  during  the  siege,  he  was  to  prepare 
food  made  up  of  diflerent  kinds  of  grains,  and  bake  it  with  the  most  nauseous  fuel,  and 
then  from  time  to  time  to  eat  a  small  quantity,  as  well  as  to  use  a  stinted  quantity  of 
water,  7-13.  After  being  indulged  with  a  modification  in  the  article  of  fuel,  he  is  fur- 
nished with  a  direct  application  of  the  symbol  to  the  circumstances  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Jerusalem,  14-17. 

1  And  thou,  son  of  man,  take  thee  a  tile,  and  lay  it  before  thee,  and 

2  portray  upon  it  a  city,  even  Jerusalem.     And  lay  siege  against 
it,  and  build  a  fort  against  it,  and  raise  a  mound  against  it,  and 


1.  Hitzig  fancifully  concludes  from 
the  etymological  signification  of  J^JSp 
that  it  was  a  limestone  the  prophet  was 
commanded  to  take ;  but  brick  was  like- 
wise so  called,  from  the  white  clay  of 
which  it  was  frequently  made,  and  which 
was  either  burned  in  the  kiln  or  dried  in 
the  sun.  Some  of  the  latter  kind  ac- 
quired a  sufficient  degree  of  compactness 
to  admit  of  inscriptions  or  impressions 
of  various  objects  being  represented  on 
them.  Such  bricks  abound  in  the  ruins 
of  Babylon   and   the  remains  of  other 


ancient  cities  in  the  vicinity  of  the  region 
in  which  Ezekiel  was.  They  are  fre- 
quently of  two  feet  in  length  by  one  in 
breadth  ;  consequently  sufficiently  large 
to  allow  of  what  is  here  described  being 
portrayed  upon  them. 

2.  For  p^"^ ,  specula,  icatch-toiver,  see 
on  Jer.  lii.  4.  "i3  Hiivernick  plausibly 
interprets  from  the  etymology  ("1^3,  or 
'^'^? ,  signifying  to  dig  or  bore  through), 
and  renders  the  term  by  Durchbrecher. 
So  far  as  the  derivation  is  concerned  he 
certainly  is  correct,  since  the  word,  as 


32 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  IV.  2-6. 


set  camps  against  it,  and  place  battering  rams  against  it  round 
about.  And  thou,  take  to  thee  a  pan  of  iron,  and  make  it  a 
wall  of  iron  between  thee  and  the  city,  and  direct  thy  face  against 
it,  and  it  shall  be  in  a  state  of  siege,  and  thou  shalt  besiege  it : 
it  is  a  sign  to  the  house  of  Israel.^^And  thou,  lie  upon  thy  left 
side,  and  lay  the  iniquity  of  the  house  of  Israel  upon  it ;  the 
number  of  the  days  which  thou  shalt  lie  upon  it,  thou  shalt  bear 
their  iniquity.  For  I  have  appointed  for  thee  the  years  of  their 
iniquity,  according  to  the  number  of  days,  three  hundred  and 
ninety  days  ;  and  thou  shalt  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  house  of 
Israel.     And  when  thou  hast  finished  these,  then  thou  shalt  lie  a 


a  primitive  noun,  takes  the  signification 
of  lamb,  or  the  pastures  where  the  lambs 
feed,  and  the  transition  from  the  idea  of 
such  a  harmless  creature  to  that  of  i-am 
would  seem  too  violent  to  be  tolerated. 
There  cannot  be  a  doubt  that  the  word 
is  here  to  be  taken  in  the  signification 
of  arietes,  a  battering-ram,  or  long  log  of 
wood,  so  called  because  one  of  the  ends 
was  armed  with  a  mass  of  heavy  metal 
in  the  shape  of  a  ram's  head.  Such 
machines,  either  carried  by  soldiers  or 
suspended  by  ropes  or  chains,  were 
driven  with  force  against  the  walls  of 
a  fortified  city,  so  as  to  make  a  breach 
in  them,  or  batter  them  down. 

3.  The  'i^'^^P^  y  /ri/ing-pan  of  iron,  from 
the  rust  which  it  contracted,  was  a  fit 
symbol  of  the  city  of  Jerusalem,  the 
accumulated  guilt  of  which  was  now  to 
be  punished.  The  better  to  represent 
the  city,  this  pan  was  to  be  surrounded 
with  a  raised  edge  of  iron  in  the  shape 
of  a  wall.  ^i<'^b']  n-^a  ,  house  of  Israel, 
as  occurring  in  this  verse,  is  to  be  dis- 
tinguished as  to  signification  from  the 
same  phrase  as  used  in  the  following 
verses.  Here  it  is  employed  to  denote 
the  Hebrews  generally  ;  there,  in  contra- 
distinction from  rrn^iT]  r''3 ,  house  of 
Judah,  to  denote  the  ten  tribes  which 
separated  in  the  time  of  Rehoboam. 

4-6.  The  supposition,  broached  by 
Jarchi  and  adopted  by  Hitzig,  that  the 
left  side  was  designed  to  be  symbolical 
of  the  northern  kingdom,  and  the  right 


of  the  southern,  because  geographically 
the  localities  which  they  occupied  lay  in 
these  directions,  according  to  the  Orien- 
tal mode  of  considering  the  east  to  be 
in  front,  is  more  fanciful  than  real.  Lit- 
tle more  tenable  is  the  opinion  of  Gi"0tius, 
that  the  sides  were  pui-posely  chosen  to 
point  out  the  dignity  of  the  two  tribes 
of  Judah  and  Benjamin  as  superior  to 
those  which  formed  the  northern  king- 
dom. I  agree  with  the  opinion  of  Steud- 
lin  and  Havernick,  that  no  importance 
is  to  be  attached  to  the  selection. 

There  are  some  chronological  difficul- 
ties attaching  to  a  literal  or  historical 
computation  of  the  periods  here  specified. 
The  most  tenable  seem  the  calculations 
of  Eichhorn,  Michaelis,  Scholz,  Eosen- 
miiller,  Maurer,  and  others,  who  date,  in 
the  one  case,  from  the  separation  of  the 
ten  tribes  in  the  reign  of  Jeroboam,  and 
in  the  other,  from  the  reformation  eft'eet- 
ed  by  Josiah,  390  and  40  being  used  as 
the  nearest  round  numbers.  It  has  in- 
deed been  objected  that  the  prophet  is 
here  treating,  not  of  the  time  during 
which  the  sins  were  committed,  but  that 
during  which  the  people  were  bearing 
the  punishment  inflicted  on  account  of 
them ;  but  a  designed  correspondence 
between  the  term  of  punishment  and  the 
season  of  transgression  is  not  infrequent 
in  Scripture.  See  especially  Numb.  xiv. 
34.  As  many  years  as  the  people  had 
continued  in  idolatry,  so  many  days  the 
prophet  was  in  symbolic  action  to  bear 


Chap.  IV.  6-9] 


EZEKIEL. 


second  time  upon  thy  right  side,  and  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  house 
of  Judah,  forty  days  ;  a  day  for  a  year  have  I  appointed  thee. 
And  thou  shalt  direct  thy  face  towards  the  siege  of  Jerusalem, 
and  thou  shalt  uncover  thine  arm  and  prophesy  against  it.  And, 
behold,  I  will  lay  cords  upon  thee,  and  thou  shalt  not  turn  thee 
from  one  side  to  another,  until  thou  hast  finished  the  days  of  thy 
siege.  And  thou,  take  for  thyself  wheat,  and  barley,  and  beans, 
and  lentiles,  and  millet,  and  spelt,  and  put  them  in  one  vessel, 
and  make  thee  bread  of  them  for  the  number  of  the  days  which 
thou  shalt  be  lying  upon  thy  side,  three  hundred  and  ninety 


their  chastisement.  The  opinion  recently 
adopted  by  Hitzig-,  Ewald,  and  Fairbairn, 
and  wliich  was  already  entertained  by 
the  Rabbins  iu  the  time  of  Jerome,  that 
the  periods  are  to  be  considered  analogi- 
cally, as  corresponding  to  the  time  in 
which  the  Israelitish  people  were  absent 
from  their  own  land,  and  suffered  in 
Egypt  and  in  the  wilderness,  is  open  to 
the  objection  that  in  order  to  make  the 
periods  tally,  the  number  40,  which  rep- 
resents the  years  of  wandering  in  the 
desert,  needs  to  be  also  reckoned  along 
with  the  390  to  make  up  the  430  years, 
mentioned  in  Exod.  xii.  40, 41  ;  in  addi- 
tion to  which  it  must  be  remembered  that 
a  comparison  of  Gen.  xv.  16,  Exod.  vi. 
16-20,  and  Gal.  iii.  17,  leads  to  the  idea 
that  the  430  years  so  reckoned  included 
the  sojourn  of  the  patriarchs  in  Canaan 
as  well  as  the  detention  of  their  posterity 
in  the  house  of  bondage.  The  Hebrew 
phrase  "(IS  i<Vi ,  to  hear  iniquiti/,  itni- 
formly  means,  to  suffer  punishment  on 
account  of  iniquity.  Sin  being  conceived 
of  by  the  Orientals  as  a  burden,  the  idea 
of  bearing  it  was  naturally  suggested  ; 
and,  being  transferred  to  its  punishment, 
it  consequently  acquii'ed  that  of  suffering 
it.  By  D31:?  "^5^ ,  ver.  5,  we  are  to  un- 
derstand the  i/mrs  of  their  punishment  on 
account  of  iniquity.  There  is  no  neces- 
sity to  press  the  application  of  these 
arithmetical  symbols  to  the  exact  dura- 
tion of  the  punishment  which  they  fore- 
shadowed :  all  attempts  to  do  so  have 
proved  futile.    The  very  disproportionate 


inequality  of  the  periods  during  which 
the  punishment  of  the  two  divisions  of 
the  Hebrew  people  was  to  last  must  not 
be  considered  as  suggesting  the  idea 
that  the  amount  of  guilt  contracted  by 
Judah  was  small  compared  with  that 
contracted  by  Israel,  which  would  be  in 
flat  contradiction  of  the  representations 
made  by  the  prophet,  chap.  xvi.  44-59 ; 
for  though  the  ten  tribes  were  much 
longer  in  a  state  of  actual  captivity  than 
the  two  tribes  of  Judah  and  Benjamin, 
yet  the  sufferings  of  the  latter  were 
greatly  aggravated  by  the  hardships  to 
which  they  had  to  submit  during  the 
siege  of  Jerusalem,  and  the  cruelties 
exercised  upon  them  by  the  Chaldeans 
after  that  event. 

7.  To  set  forth  the  certainty  of  the 
siege,  and  the  prepai'edness  of  the  enemy 
to  conduct  it,  the  prophet  is  commanded 
to  direct  his  face  against  the  city ;  and, 
as  the  Orientals  ustially  do  when  about 
to  engage  in  any  undertaking,  to  tuck 
np  the  sleeve  of  his  right  arm  that  he 
might  be  ready  for  action.  In  this  atti- 
tude he  was  to  deliver  his  prophecy. 
Comp.  Isa.  Iii.  10. 

8.  Though  the  siege,  specified  verses 
1-3,  is  to  be  taken  literally  of  that  of 
Jerusalem,  yet  it  is  here  employed  in  a 
more  extended  signification,  to  denote 
the  entire  calamity  that  had  befallen, 
and  was  yet  to  befall,  the  Hebrew  people. 
To  set  forth  their  helpless  condition,  and 
the  impossibility  of  their  being  able  by 
any  efforts  of  their  own  to  recover  them- 


34 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  IV.  9-14. 


10  days  thou  slialt  eat  thereof.  And  thy  food  which  thou  shalt 
eat  by  weight,  twenty  sliekels  a  day,  from  time  to  time  thou 

11  shalt  eat  it.     Thou  shalt  also  drink  water  by  measure,  the  sixth 

12  part  ofahin,  from  time  to  time  thou  shalt  drink.  And  thou 
shalt  eat  it  as  barley  cakes,  and  with  dung  that  comcth  out  of 

13  man  thou  shalt  bake  it  in  their  sight.  And  Jehovah  said  :  Thus 
shall  the  children  of  Israel  eat  their  polluted  bread  among  the 

14  heathen,  whither  I  will  drive  them.  Then  I  said.  Ah,  Lord 
Jehovah  !  behold,  my  soul  hath  not  been  polluted,  nor  have  I 
eaten  that  which  hath  died  of  itself,  or  been  torn  in  pieces,  from 
my  youth  until  now ;  neither  hath  there  entered  into  my  mouth 


selves,  the  prophet  is  informed  that  he 
should  be  prevented,  by  a  divine  influence 
resting  upon  him,  from  moving  from 
one  side  to  the  other  during  the  periods 
of  his  symbolical  punishment. 

9-13.  As  the  basis  of  the  direction 
here  given,  compare  Lev.  xxvi.  26. 
Graphically  as  the  circumstances  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  during  the 
siege  may  be  considered  as  depicted  in 
these  verses,  yet  the  description  is  ob- 
viously intended  to  include  those  of  the 
captives,  in  which,  .ibsent  from  the  holy 
and  plenteous  land,  they  should  be  re- 
duced to  want  in  the  midst  of  the  idola- 
trous pollutions  of  the  heathen. 

9.  Ezekiel  was  to  take  six  different 
kinds  of  grain,  better  and  worse  as  it 
respects  quality,  and  mixing  them  all 
together,  to  prepare  bread  of  them. 
Instead  of  flour  simply,  which  was  used 
for  baking  more  delicate  cakes.  Gen. 
xviii.  6,  the  Hebrews  should  have  to 
content  themselves  with  such  coai'se 
bread,  as  only  the  poorest  would  submit 
to  eat.  The  three  hundred  and  ninety 
days  were  doubtless,  as  the  larger  num- 
ber, intended  to  include  both  periods,  as 
we  may  infer  from  what  is  said,  verses 
16,  17  ;  so  that  we  are  not,  with  Maurer, 
to  conclude,  that  the  omission  of  the 
Jbrty  was  per  oblivionem. 

10,  11.  When  cities  are  reduced  to 
straits  by  all  supplies  from  without  being 
cut  off  by  the  besieging  army,  it  is  cus- 
tomary to  place   the  inhabitants  upon 


short  allowance.  The  quantity  both 
of  bread  and  water  here  specified  was 
the  smallest  conceivable  for  the  bare  sus- 
tenance of  life.  The  shekel  being  only 
the  weight  of  about  ten  ounces,  and  the 
sixth  part  of  a  hin,  a  pint  and  a  half 
English  measure,  the  pressure  must  have 
been  extreme.  The  scarcity  would  be 
so  great  that  the  utmost  management 
would  be  required  in  order  to  make 
the  stinted  quantity  of  provisions  hold 
out. 

12,  1.3.  To  express  the  aggravation  of 
the  miserable  cii'cumstances  of  the  He- 
brews, they  are  represented  as  reduced 
to  the  necessity  of  using  human  excre- 
ments as  fuel  for  the  purpose  of  baking 
their  bread.  It  is  customary  with  the 
Arabs  and  Tatars  to  this  day,  as  it  is  in 
some  parts  of  Europe  where  there  is  a 
destitution  of  wood  or  turf,  to  make  use 
of  the  dried  dung  of  cattle  for  this  pur- 
pose,, but  we  can  only  conceive  of  the 
case  here  resorted  to  as  one  of  the  most 
extreme  necessity.  The  very  allusion 
was  calculated  to  produce  feelings  of  the 
utmost  disgust,  which  we  find  the  com- 
mand actually  did  produce  in  the  mind 
of  I'^ekiel,  ver.  14.  As  the  design  of 
the  command  only  had  for  its  object  the 
production  of  these  nauseous  feelings, 
and  was  not  intended  to  be  actually 
complied  with,  all  ground  for  the  objec- 
tion of  the  infidel  is  removed. 

14.  Ezekiel  having  been  a  priest  had 
been  accustomed  to  the  strictest  absti- 


Chap.  V.  1.] 


EZEKIEL. 


35 


15  abominable  flesh.  Then  he  said  unto  me:  Behold,  I  have 
appointed  thee  cow's  dung  instead  of  man's  dung,  and  thou  shalt 
bake  thy  bread  therewith. 

1 6  And  he  said  unto  me  :  Son  of  man,  behold,  I  will  break  the  staff 

of  bread  in  Jerusalem,  and  they  shall  eat  bread  by  weight  and 
with  carefulness,  and  water  by  measure  and  with  astonishment 

17  they  shall  drink.  To  the  end  that  they  may  lack  bread  and 
water,  and  be  astonished  one  with  another,  and  pine  away  in 
their  iniquity. 


ncnce  from  everythinf^  inconsistent  with 
the  legal  enactments  relative  to  external 
purity.  To  this  circumstance  he  here 
appeals  as  an  argument  why  he  should 
be  relieved  from  the  disagreeable  neces- 
sity that  had  been  imposed  upon  him. 
Compare  the  striking  parallel,  Acts  x. 
13,  14.  Neither  the  prophet  nor  the 
apostle  could  reconcile  the  mandate  with 
the  express  prohibitions  of  the  ceremo- 
nial law.  By  ?15S  "iba  ,  ahoviinahle  flesh, 
is  meant  meat  that  stank  from  putridity. 
Flesh  of  animals  that  had  been  killed 
three  days  was  strictly  prohibited  by  the 
law  to  be  eaten  (Lev.  vii.  17,  18;  xix. 
6,  7).     LXX.  Kpeas  ea>\ov. 

15.  The  concession  made  to  relieve 
the  feelings  of  the  prophet  indicated  the 
divine  disposition  to  mitigate  the  pun- 
ishment of  the  captive  Hebrews.  The 
ashes  of  animal  excrements  in  which 
bread  has  been  baked  having  been  care- 
fully removed,   and  the  external  crust 


only  having  been  brought  into  contact 
with  them,  the  interior  is  left  entirely 
free  from  everything  disagreeable  to  the 
taste.  Dr.  Robinson,  describing  a  scene 
on  his  journey  to  NSbulus,  says  :  "  The 
men  were  baking  a  large,  round,  flat 
cake  of  bread,  in  the  embers  of  a  fire  of 
camel's  and  cow  dung.  Taking  it  out 
when  done,  they  brushed  off  the  ashes, 
and  divided  it  among  the  party,  offering 
us  also  a  portion.  I  tasted  it,  and  found 
it  quite  as  good  as  the  common  bread  of 
the  country  "  (Researches,  vol.  iii.  p. 
76).  The  teaching  of  the  passage  is,  that 
in  wrath  God  remembers  mercy;  that 
those  to  whom  afflictions  are  sanctified, 
and  who  turn  to  him  with  their  whole 
heart,  shall  obtain  mercy,  and  be  deliv- 
ered out  of  all  their  troubles. 

16,  17.  The  prophet  is  here  furnished 
with  a  further  illustration  of  the  neces- 
sitous condition  to  which  their  sins 
should  reduce  his  countrymen. 


CHAPTER    V. 

Ezekiel  is  commanded  to  cut  off  the  hair  of  his  head  and  beard,  1;  to  bum  a  third  part  of 
it  with  fire,  to  cut  another  third  ji^irt  with  a  sword,  and  to  scatter  the  remaining  third  ' 
to  the  winds  of  heaven,  2 ;  of  this  last  portion,  however,  he  was  to  reserve  a  small  quan- 
tity in  his  girdle,  but  even  of  it  he  was  to  cast  part  into  the  fire,  3,  4.  Tlie  import  of 
these  symbolical  actions  is  next  pointed  out,  and  the  reasons  are  assigned  why  the  Jews 
were  to  be  so  severely  dealt  with,  5-11.  A  further  explanation  of  the  symbols  is  given,  12 ; 
together  with  a  description  of  the  heavy  calamities  of  which  they  were  significant,  13-17. 


1  Moreover  thou,  son  of  man,  take  thee  a  sharp  knife,  a  barber's 
razor  let  there  be  taken  to  thee,  and  cause  it  to  pass  upon  thy 


36 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  V.  1-6. 


head,  and  upon  thy  beard,  and  take  to  thee  weighing  scales  and 

2  divide  the  hair.  A  third  part  thou  shalt  cause  to  pass  through 
the  fire  in  the  midst  of  the  city,  when  the  days  of  the  siege  are 
fulfilled :  then  thou  shalt  take  a  third  part,  and  smite  about  it 
with  a  kniff ,  and  a  third  part  thou  shalt  scatter  to  the  wind,  and 

3  I  will  draw  out  a  sword  after  them.     Thou  shalt  also  take  a 

4  few  of  them  in  number,  and  bind  them  in  thy  skirts.  Then 
take  of  them  again,  and  cast  them  into  the  midst  of  the  fii'e,  and 
bunt  them  in  the  fire  ;  from  it  shall  fire  go  forth  into  all  the 

5  house  of  Israel.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  :  This  is  Jeru- 
salem :  I  have  placed  her  in  the  midst  of  the  nations  and  of  the 


1.  3*fl  is  used  in  the  Hebrew  Scrip- 
tures not  only  to  denote  the  sicord,  but 
also  any  other  sharp-edged  instrument 
for  cutting  with,  just  as  "1??)  is  used 
both  of  a  penknife  and  a  razor.  Though 
with  great  propriety  the  latter  is  men- 
tioned in  reference  to  the  shaving  of  the 
hair,  there  is  an  equal  propriety  in  cm- 
ploying  the  term  sword  in  reference  to 
the  use  of  that  weapon  by  the  Chaldeans. 
That  both  are  here  identified,  seems  the 
most  natural  construction  of  the  sense. 
To  indicate  the  just  discrimination  to  be 
employed  by  Jehovah  in  the  imnishment 
of  his  rebellious  people,  the  prophet  is 
further  commanded  to  weigh  out  the 
hair  into  several  portions.  The  priests 
having  been  prohibited  from  shaving, 
(Lev.  xxi.  5),  the  command  given  to 
Ezekiel  on  the  present  occasion  must 
have  appeared  peculiarly  severe ;  but  he 
was  thereby  taught,  and  the  people 
through  him,  that  the  ceremonial  must 
give  place  to  the  moral.  That  Ezekiel 
here  represented  the  Hebrew  people  there 
cannot  be  a  doubt,  but  Hitzig  refines 
too  much  when  he  interj)rets  his  head 
of  Jerusalem,  as  the  caj)ital.  The  suffix 
in  cnpsn  refers  to  the  hairs,  understood. 

2.  When  the  prophet  had  completed 
the  term  of  his  symbolical  siege  he  was 
to  burn  a  third  part  of  the  hair  which 
he  had  cut  oiF,  in  the  midst  of  the  pan 
employed  as  a  symbol  of  the  siege.  By 
this  was  intimated  that  a  portion  of  the 
inhabitants  should  be  destroyed  by  fire 


and  famine  during  that  awful  calamity. 
Comp.  ver.  12.  Those  who  were  cut 
off  by  the  Chaldeans  around  the  city  are 
next  described,  and  then  the  hopeless 
condition  of  the  fugitives  is  depicted. 

3,  4.  Q^^p  is  used  loosely  for  Ctia . 
The  few  here  referred  to  were  not  re- 
served to  be  saved  from  punishment,  as 
the  words  might  at  first  sight  seem  to 
indicate,  but  to  have  that  punishment 
inflicted  upon  them.  They  were  to  un- 
dergo a  further  fiery  trial.  The  calamity 
was  to  be  total.  It  was  to  extend  to  the 
whole  posterity  of  Jacob. 

5,  6.  A  definite  application  of  the 
symbol.  A  more  favorable  situation  as 
the  centre  of  religious  unity  and  moral 
influence  could  not  have  been  selected 
than  Jerusalem.  Like  a  central  sun, 
she  was  destined  to  radiate  the  light  of 
true  religion  over  three  continents.  But 
instead  of  being  faithful  to  her  vocation, 
she  adopted  the  idolatrous  practices  of 
the  surrounding  nations,  and  thereby 
incurred  the  displeasure  of  her  covenant 
God.  "'^^^  is  to  be  regarded  as  the 
future  apocopated  of  iT^^ ,  to  rehel. 
Compare  "J?^^ ,  Judges  xv.  4 ;  "'3^1 , 
Ps.  cv.  24.  HN  nn^ ,  to  rebel  against, 
affords  a  sense  equally  pregnant  with 
that  derived  by  Jarchi,  De  Wette,  and 
others  from  "i^^ ,  to  chantje.  Compare 
^'^'!^'',  "^STiX  rr^.-Q ,  to  rebel  against  the 
command  of  Jehovah,  1  Sam.  xii.  15. 
The  preposition  in  ns'd'is  indicates 
quality,   state,   or  condition.     The  He- 


CiiAP.  V.  6-10.] 


EZEKIEL. 


37 


10 


countries  round  about  her.  But  she  hath  wickedly  rebelled 
against  my  judgments  more  than  the  heathen,  and  my  statutes 
more  than  the  countries  which  are  around  her ;  for  they  have 
despised  my  judgments,  and  as  for  my  statutes  they  have  not 
walked  in  them.  Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah : 
Because  ye  have  been  more  outrageous  than  the  heathen  which 
are  round  about  you ;  ye  have  not  walked  in  my  statutes,  and 
my  judgments  ye  have  not  practised,  but  have  done  according 
to  the  judgments  of  the  heathen  that  are  round  about  you : 
Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  :  Behold,  I,  even  I,  am 
against  thee,  and  will  execute  judgments  in  the  midst  of  thee 
in  the  sight  of  the  nations.  And  I  will  do  in  thee  what  I  have 
not  done,  nor  will  I  do  the  like  any  more,  on  account  of  all 
thine  abominations.  Therefore  the  fathers  shall  eat  the  children 
in  the  midst  of  thee,  and  the  children  shall  eat  their  fathers,  and 


brews  had  plunged  themselves,  by  their 
rebellions  against  the  laws  of  Jehovah, 
into  cireumstances  of  wickedness  more 
aggravated  than  those  of  their  surround- 
ing neighbors  in  Syria,  Egyjjt,  or  Baby- 
lon. The  nominative  to  ^DN'2  and 
ispfl  is  not  the  heathen,  spoken  of  im- 
mediately before,  but  the  inhabitants  of 
Jerusalem,  understood. 

7.  c:;;wn  is  not,  after  Aquil.,  the 
Pcshito  Syriac,  and  Ewald,  to  be  read  as 
if  pointed  C^:':!! ,  the  Niphal  of  il5^ , 
to  number  —  the  meaning,  because  ye  were 
numbered  among  the  heathen,  not  being 
suitable  to  the  connection  ;  but  is  to  be 
taken  as  an  anomalous  form  for  DDiiari , 
the  Infinitive  in  Kal  of  f^"^ »  to  tumul- 
tunfe,  rage,  be  enraged,  oufrageous.  The 
word  is  here  used  in  this  last  significa- 
tion, to  denote  the  mad  and  unbridled 
riotousness  with  which  the  Jewish  people 
ran  after  their  idols.  They  set  no 
bounds  to  the  exorbitancies  which  they 
committed,  and  surpassed  in  crime  the 
heathen  around  them.  !!t5 ,  before 
Dr^bS ,  at  the  end  of  the  verse  is  omitted 
in  thirty  of  Kennicott  and  De  Rossi's 
MSS.,  primarily  in  five  more,  in  the 
Soncin.  and  Brixian  editions,  in  the 
Syriac,  and  in  twenty-four  codices  of  the 
Vulg. ;  and  appears  to  have  originated 


with  some  copyist  who  supposed  that 
the  negative  expressed  just  before  was 
to  be  repeated  here.  The  retention  of 
it  would  make  the  Lord  declare  what 
was  contrary  to  fact  and  to  what  is  ex- 
pressly declared  chap.  xi.  12.  Suppos- 
ing, with  Eosenmiiller  and  Havernick, 
the  negative  to  have  been  the  original 
reading,  the  only  tolerable  interpretation 
would  be,  that  the  Jews  had  not  remained 
faithful  to  their  covenant  God  as  the 
pagans  around  them  had  been  to  their 
idols. 

9.  What  is  here  threatened  cannot  be 
absolutely  explained  of  the  divine  deal- 
ings with  the  Jews  in  the  time  of  the 
prophet,  since  there  is  every  reason  to 
believe  that  the  sufferings  of  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Jerusalem  when  besieged  by 
Titus  were  still  more  dreadful  than  those 
inflicted  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  but  is  to  be 
interpreted  of  them  as  compared  with 
other  nations.  They  were  treated  with 
a  severity  such  as  no  other  people, 
either  before  or  after,  has  experienced. 
As  they  had  been  unparalleled  in  wick- 
edness, so  they  should  be  in  punishment. 
Havernick's  attempt  to  combine  both 
destructions  is  very  unsatisfactory. 

10.  Compare  Lev.  xxvi.  29 ;  Deut. 
xxviii.  53.     To  these  passages  in   the 


88 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  V.  10-14. 


I  will  execute  judgments  in  thee,  and  scatter  the  whole  remnant 

11  of  thee  to  every  wind.  Wherefore,  as  I  live,  saith  the  Lord 
Jehovali :  Surely  because  thou  hast  polluted  my  sanctuary  with 
all  thy  detestable  things,  and  with  all  thine  abominations,  there- 
fore I  also  will  cut  thee  off,  neither  will  mine  eye  spare,  nor 

12  will  I  have  pity.  A  third  part  of  thee  shall  die  with  the  pesti- 
lence, and  with  the  famine  they  shall  be  consumed  in  the  midst 
of  thee ;  and  a  third  part  shall  fall  by  the  sword  I'ound  about 
thee  ;  and  a  third  part  I  will  scatter  to  every  wind,  and  I  will 

13  draw  out  the  sword  after  them.  Thus  shall  mine  anger  be 
spent,  and  I  will  cause  my  fury  to  rest  on  them,  and  comfort 
myself;  and  they  shall  know  that  I,  Jehovah,  have  spoken  in 

14  my  jealousy,  when  I  have  spent  my  fury  on  them.  Moreover 
I  will  deliver  thee  over  to  desolation  and  reproach  among  the 
nations  that  are  round  about  thee,  in  the  sight  of  every  one  that 

15  passeth  by.  And  it  shall  be  for  a  reproach  and  a  reviling,  an 
example  and  an  astonishment  to  the  nations  that  are  round 
about  thee,  when  I  execute  judgments  in  thee  in  anger  and  in 


Pentateuch  there  is  here  an  obvious 
reference,  with  the  aggravating  addition 
of  the  sons  eating  their  fathers. 

11.  "'3X~'^n,  as  I  live,  is  a  formula  of 
swearing  employed  by  Jehovah  when 
about  to  introduce  a  declaration  of  pecu- 
liar solemnity  or  importance.  It  pledges 
the  existence  of  the  ever-living  God  for 
the  certainty  of  the  event.  Than  the 
life  of  God,  which  includes  his  necessary 
and  eternal  self-existence,  it  is  impossible 
to  conceive  of  a  more  sublime  or  power- 
fully influential  idea.  The  culminating 
point  of  the  daring  wickedness  of  the 
Jews  was  their  desecration  of  the  holy 
habitation  of  Jehovah  by  introducing 
idolatrous  worship  into  it.  The  idols 
which  tlioy  thus  intJ-odueed  are  desig- 
nated D"^^"5Bb,  detestable  objects,  from 
yiV^  J  'o  be  Jilthy,  polluted,  abominable^ 
and  niayin ,  the  same.  Instead  of 
2-"^?^  >  I  will  withdraw  or  diminish,  the 
reading  y^SX  ,  /  will  cut  down,  cut  off,  is 
found  in  six  MSS.,  it  has  originally 
been  the  reading  of  five  more,  and  is 
that  of  one  by  correction.  It  is  sup- 
ported by  all  the  ancient  versions,  better 


suits  the  following  connection,  and  has 
more  emphasis. 

12.  God  now  declares  in  plain  terms 
what  was  intended  by  the  symbolical 
treatment  of  the  hair.  A  third  part  of 
the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  were  to 
perish  by  pestilence  and  famine  during 
the  siege,  another  third  part  were  to  be 
cut  off  by  the  Chaldean  army  in  the 
surrounding  country  while  attempting 
to  escape,  and  the  remaining  third  were 
to  be  scattered  in  every  direction  by  the 
armed  foe.  Wherever  they  fled  they 
should  find  their  enemies  in  possession, 
and  not  be  able  to  escape  their  sword. 

13.  The  Jews  should  experience  no 
relief  or  alleviation  with  respect  to  the 
punishments  to  be  inflicted  upon  them. 
^n-cn?!"! ,  for  Tllinjrr! ,  in  Hithpael. 

14.  nOi.nb^  ^^lO^  form  an  ono- 
matopcEia.  The  surrounding  idolaters, 
whose  practices  they  had  adopted,  instead 
of  afibrding  them  any  comfort  or  aid, 
would  only  exult  at  their  calamities. 
For  D''1i'? ,  to  the  nations,  ver.  15,  four- 
teen MSS.,  primarily  flve  more,  and  the 
Complutensian  Text  read  C'lSa ,  among 


Chap.  VI.  1-3.] 


EZEKIEL. 


39 


19 


17 


fury,  even  in  furious  rebukes  ;  I,  Jehovah,  have  spoken  it :  When 
I  shall  send  among  them  the  evil  arrows  of  famine  which  shall 
be  for  destruction,  which  I  will  send  to  destroy  you,  for  famine 
I  will  accumulate  upon  you,  and  will  break  the  staff  of  your 
bread  :  I  will  both  send  upon  you  famine  and  evil  beasts,  and 
they  shall  bereave  thee  ;  and  pestilence  and  blood  shall  pass 
through  thee  ;  and  I  will  bring  the  sword  upon  thee  ;  I,  Jehovah, 
have  spoken  it. 


the  nations,  as  in  ver.  14,  and  thus  the 
Vulg.  and  Arab.  Instead  of  '"^"'0  '  ^^^ 
third  person,  at  the  lieginning  of  ver.  15, 
all  the  ancient  versions  have  read  ri"^!! , 
the  second,  which  is  required  by  the 
connection.  "lO'l'S  ,  properly  an  instruc- 
tive example,  from  "10^  ,  to  chastise,  correct, 
instruct  hi/  punishment ;  an  example  held 
out  for  the  warning  of  others. 

16.  2^'^ri  "^ISn,  arrows  of  famine,  Gro- 
tius  interprets  of  lightning,  storms,  lo- 
custs, etc.,  which  are  prejudicial  to  corn, 
and  thus  superinduce  famine ;  but  the 
phrase  seems  rather  to  describe  the 
famine  itself,  with  reference  to  the  acute 
pain  occasioned  by  hunger. 


17.  A  third  repetition  of  the  threaten- 
ing of  famine,  aggravated  by  the  addition 
of  other  calamities  usually  consequent 
on  war.  That  ni"l  n*n ,  a  collective 
for  evil  beasts,  is  to  be  taken  literally, 
and  not  interpreted  of  the  king  of  Baby- 
lon and  his  armies,  would  seem  more 
suitable  in  the  connection.  ?3'4-*-"P''°P' 
erly  means  to  be  bereaved  of  children  ;  in 
Piel,  as  here,  to  destroy  children,  and 
thus  render  barren  or  desolate.  In 
order  more  deeply  to  impress  the  minds 
of  the  Jews  with  alarming  apprehensions 
of  the  divine  judgments  which  v/erc  to 
be  inflicted  upon  them,  the  language  is 
rcpetitiously  and  variously  charged. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

The  prophet  is  directed  to  address  himself  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  whole  country,  and 
denounce  the  destruction  at  onceof  tlie  idols  and  tlie  idol-worsliippers,  1-7.  A  promise 
is  then  given  for  the  comfort  of  tljose  vvlio,  in  the  midst  of  their  calamities,  sliould  repent 
and  turn  from  their  idolatrous  practices,  8-10.  By  most  significant  actions  it  is  indi- 
cated that  tlie  threatened  punishment  would  assuredly  be  inflicted  to  the  utmost,  11-14. 

1  And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying :  Son  of  man,  set 

2  thy  face  against  the  mountains  of  Israel,  and  prophesy  against 
tS       them,  and  say  :  Ye  mountains  of  Israel,  hear  ye  the  word  of  the 

Lord  Jehovah  :  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  to  the  mountains 


1-3.  By  "  the  mountains  of  Israel," 
etc.,  we  ai-e  not  to  understand  those  of 
Ephraim  exclusively,  but  those  of  the 
country  of  Palestine  generally,  in  Avhich 
idolatry  had  abounded.  They  are  per- 
sonified in  order  to  give  greater  eifect  to 
4* 


the  discourse.  Although  the  Babylo- 
nians were  themselves  idolaters,  and 
there  was  in  many  respects  an  affinity 
between  their  idol-worship  and  that  of 
the  Hebrews  who  had  borrowed  it  from 
them,  yet  such  should  be  the  strength  of 


40 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  VI.  1-9. 


y 


and  to  the  hills,  to  the  channels  and  to  the  valleys,  Behold,  I, 
even  I,  bring  a  sword  against  you,  and  I  will  destroy  your  high 
places.  And  your  altars  shall  be  desolate,  and  your  images 
shall  be  broken,  and  I  will  cast  down  your  slain  before  your 
idols.  And  I  will  lay  the  carcases  of  the  children  of  Israel 
before  their  idols,  and  Avill  scatter  your  bones  round  about  your 
altars.  In  all  your  dwelling-places  the  cities  shall  be  laid  waste 
and  the  high  places  shall  be  desolate,  in  order  that  your  altars 
may  be  laid  waste  and  made  desolate,  and  your  dung-gods  may 
be  broken  and  cease,  and  your  solar  images  may  be  cut  down, 
and  your  works  destroyed.  And  the  slain  shall  fall  in  the  midst 
of  you,  and  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah.  Yet  will  I  reserve 
a  remnant,  that  ye  may  have  those  who  escape  the  sword  among 
the  nations,  when  ye  shall  be  scattered  in  the  countries.  And 
those  of  you  that  escape  shall  remember  me  in  the  nations 
whither  they  shall  be  carried  captives,  when  I  break  their  whor- 
ish  heart,  which  hath  departed  from  me,  and  their  eyes  which 


hostile  feeling  by  which  the  invading 
army  would  be  actuated,  and  such  their 
cupidity  for  the  gold  and  silver  with  which 
the  wooden  idols  were  covered,  that  they 
would  hew  them  down,  and  involve  them 
and  their  worshippers  in  one  common 
destruction.  The  C^p^SX  were  channels, 
running  through  and  fertilizing  the  val- 
leys, which  abounded  in  groves  favorable 
for  the  worship  of  Astarte.  The  term 
is  parallel  with  HIX'^J ,  and  has  pretty 
much  the  same  signitication.  The  two 
terms  correspond,  just  as  the  preceding 
fi'^'in  and  riiS'Zfi  do.  They  are  com- 
bined, as  synonymes  frequently  are  in 
Hebrew,  for  the  sake  of  emphasis.  The 
collocation  i<''3^  "'pI*  '^-^<^  is  unusual. 
The  proper  form  is  N"'?^  ^33n■l,  but 
K''2T2  ";x  "^in  is  also  admissible, 

4.  For  C3"'352n  ,  7/our  solar  pillars,  see 
on  Isa.  xvii.  8;  and  compare  2  Chron. 
xxxiv.  4,  7.  To  expose  the  filthy  char- 
acter of  the  idols,  and  excite  a  loathing 
of  them,  they  are  called  D'^blj-Si,  dung 
gods.  Compare  the  reading  BeeA^e/SouA, 
Matt.  xii.  24.  The  term  is  frequently 
used  by  Ezekiel,  but  it  occurs  also  in  the 
Pentateuch  and  other  Historical  Books. 
Havernick's   rendering,   stone-masses,   is 


not  sustained  by  his  attempt  to  establish 
another  derivation. 

5.  To  express  the  futility  of  all  idol- 
confidences,  and  the  ruin  in  which  they 
would  involve  those  who  cherished  them, 
the  bones  of  the  idolaters  are  represented  - 
as  scattered  around  their  altars. 

6.  The  destruction  that  was  to  over- 
take the  places  of  idol-worship  was  to  be 
complete.  The  idols  are  here  said  to  be 
the  "  works  "  of  the  Hebrews,  because 
they  were  fabricated  by  their  hands. 

8-10.  Those  who  might  cscajie  the 
destructive  havoc  effected  by  the  invad- 
ing foe,  and  be  preserved  as  captives 
among  the  nations,  should  there  be 
brought  to  repentance  and  self-abhor- 
rence, when  they  reflected  upon  the  way 
in  which  they  had  provoked  their  cove- 
nant God. 

9.  '^ri'iSil'i  is  not  here  passive,  but 
reflexive  in  signification  :  whejLiJ«ive 
broken,  or  when  I  shall  have  broken  for 
myselfj  —  when  I  have  produced  such  a 
change  in  their  idolatrous  dispositions 
as  shall  induce  them  to  renounce  their 
idols  and  return  to  my  worship  and 
service.  Though  at  first  sight  it  may 
seem  less  appropriate  to  ^eak  of  break- 


Chap.  VI.  0-14.] 


EZEKIEL. 


41 


have  gone  a  whoring  after  their  dung-gods,  and  th*y  shall  loathe 
themselves    in   their  own   sight  for  the   evils  which  they  have 

10  committed  in  all  their  abominations.  And  they  shall  know  that 
I  'am  Jehovah  :  it  is  not  in  vain  I  have  said  that  I  would  inflict 

11  this  calamity  upon  them.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  :  Smite 
with  thj'  hand,  and  stamp  with  thy  foot,  and  say:  Alas,  for  all 
the  evil  abominations  of  the  house  of  Israel,  for  they  shall  fall 

12  by  the  sword,  by  the  famine,  and  by  the  pestilence,  lie  that  is 
far  off  shall  die  of  the  pestilence,  and  he  that  is  near  shall  fall 
by  the  sword,  and  he  that  is  left  and  is  besieged  shall  die  by 

13  the  famine,  and  I  will  exhaust  my  fury  on  them.  And  they 
shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah,  when  their  slain  shall  be  in  the 
midst  of  their  dung-gods  round  about  their  altars,  on  every  high 
hill,  on  all  the  tops  of  the  mountains,  and  under  every  green 
tree,  and  under  every  thick  oak,  in  the  place  where  they  offered 


ing  the  "  eyes "  than  of  breaking  the 
heart,  yet  when  we  consider  the  stubborn 
looks  of  the  Hebrews,  and  that  the  same 
verb  is  applied  to  the  destruction  of 
pride  (Lev.  xxvi.  19),  there  is  nothing 
incongruous  in  such  construction.  'lUpS 
is,  according  to  the  jninctuation,  the 
Niphal  of  ai;!? ,  as  1303  of  330  ;  but 
as  this  root  occurs  nowhere  else  in  the 
Hebrew  Bible,  it  is  better  to  reject  the 
Dagesh  forte,  and  refer  the  verb  to  ^^p 
which  is  frequently  used  in  the  sense 
of  loatluncj,  or  regarding  anything  with 
disgust.  cri'iJSS  is  construed  by  some 
with  Dni5?3a  preceding,  and  the  prophet 
is  supposed  to  mean  that  the  Jews  should 
loathe  themselves  in  the  very  presence 
of  their  idols  ;  but  as  the  same  form  oc- 
curs chaps.  XX.  43,  xxxvi.  31,  it  is  rather 
to  be  taken  as  designed  to  give  force  to 
the  expression  of  self-abhorrence,  the 
idea  of  which  was  conveyed  by  I31p  • 
They  should  have  a  vivid  perception  of 
their  M'ickcdncss ;  the  abhorrent  image 
of  themselves,  as  the  perpetrators  of  it, 
should  stare  them  in  the  very  face.  In 
the  passages  just  quoted  our  translators, 
considering  the  jihrase  to  be  equivalent 
to   DD'^3'^S)2   render  :  in  your  own   sight. 

m>nn-bf<  'is  equivalent  to  ni:;^n-b? , 

on  account  of  the  evils. 


10.  "^"^"^  here,  as  frequently,  signifies 
to  know  by  experience. 

11.  It  was  not  uncommon  for  the 
prophets  to  employ  violent  gesticulations 
while  announcing  alarming  declarations 
of  the  divine  will.  i^X ,  ah!  alas!  an 
onomatopoetic,   like   the  corresponding 

Arabic  ^f  ,  used  by  the  Orientals  to 

express  deep  emotions  of  grief.  The 
projjhet,  foreseeing  the  awful  judgments 
which  were  coming  upon  his  people  in 
punishment  of  their  atrocious  wicked- 
ness, was  thus  to  give  expression  to  the 
keen  feelings  which  were  pent  up  in  his 
breast,  in  order  more  powerfully  to  work 
upon  the  minds  of  his  hearers.  What 
he  exhibited  was  emblematical  of  the 
light  in  which  they  were  regarded  by 
Jehovah.     Compare  xxi.  12,  14. 

12.  "nfllSSn-i  "iXdsnn  is  descriptive  of 
those  Jews  who  were  not  carried  away 
into  captivity,  or  who  had  not  made 
their  escape  into  the  country,  but  were 
left  to  suffer  all  the  calainitics  of  the 
siege.  For  "illiS ,  in  the  sense  oi' besieged, 
see  my  comment  on  Isa.  i.  8.  I  cannot 
find,  with  Hiivcrnick,  that  the  term  de- 
rives any  light  from  the  ancient  prover- 
bial expression  ;,  3"'f:^"l  "mSj? . 

14.  f^'S'^^l  '^'t'?"'^'  ^  beautiful  paro- 


42 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  VII.  2-4. 


14  sweet  iucense  to  all  their  dung-gods.  And  I  will  stretch  forth 
my  hand  against  them,  and  will  make  the  land  more  waste  and 
desolate  than  the  desert  of  Diblah  in  all  their  dwelling-places ; 
and  they  shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah. 


nomasia,  from  the  same  root  B^'^  t  to  be 
laid  waste.  It  is  in  frequent  use  by  our 
prophet.  I  af;rec  with  Havcrnick  and 
Maurer,  that  HrbaT  ,  DiUathah,  is  not, 
with  Kimchi,  Michaelis,  Gescnius,  and 
Hitzig,  to  be  exchanged  for  "^S^^^l  >  Hil>- 
lathak.  Such  conjecture  is  unsupported 
either  by  MS.  authority  or  by  that  of  any 
of  the  ancient  versions.  That  the  wil- 
dei'ness  of  Arabia  Deserta,  to  the  east 
and  south  of  the  Dead  Sea,  so  well 
known,  and  so  well  fitted  to  be  employed 
for  comparison,  is  here  intended,  appears 
most  probable,  in  which  case  we  may 
suppose  that  i^^?^ '  •^'^^'^^'j  is  only  an- 


other form  for  the  Dual  D'^.rsS'JT ,  Dibla- 
thaim,  the  name  of  a  city  in  the  country 
of  Moab  (Numb,  xxxiii.  46 ;  Jer.  xlviii. 
22).  That  Diblah  should  be  a  noun 
common,  and  not  a  proper  name,  seems 
less  likely.  I  am  surprised  that  Haver- 
nick  should  adopt  the  opposite  view,  and 
rendering  the  term  by  destruction,  sup- 
pose Babylon  to  be  meant.  What  idea 
could  the  Jews  possibly  attach  to  the 
words  with  such  a  reference  ?  The  pre- 
jMsitive  'S  in  "iSl^atl  I  take  to  be  com- 
parative, as  it  is  properly  rendered  in 
our  common  version. 


CHAPTER  VII. 


The  prophet  announces  the  speedy  ruin  of  the  Jewish  state,  1-15 ;  the  penitent  reformation 
of  a  remnant,  lG-19;  the  destruction  of  tlie  temple,  whicli  the  Jews  had  polluted  with 
their  idols,  20-22.  He  is  commanded  to  make  a  chain,  thereby  symbolizing  the  captiv- 
ity that>should  follow  the  utter  destruction  of  the  city  and  the  theocratic  establishment, 
23-27. 

In  the  former  half  of  the  chapter  the  language  is  marked  by  an  abruptness  and  a  repe- 
titiousness  wiiich  strongly  indicate  the  suddenness  and  certainty  of  the  approaching 
calamity. 

1  And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me  saying :  And  thou,  son 

2  of  man,  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  :  There  is  an  end  to  the 
land  of  Israel ;  the  end  is  come,  upon  the  four  corners  of  the 

3  land.  Now  the  end  is  upon  thee,  and  I  will  send  mine  anger 
upon  thee,  and  I  will  judge   thee  according  to  thy  ways,  and 

4  will  lay  upon  thee  all  thine  abominations.  And  mine  eye  shall 
not  spare  thee,  neither  will  I  have  pity,  but  will  recompense  thy 
ways  upon  thee,  and  thine  abominations  shall  be  in  the  midst  of 

2,  3.  yp^   is  properly  separated   from  article  to  the  word  [YPXl),  to  mark  the 

what  follows  by  Athnach.     The  prophet  event  as  that  which  had  been  determined 

is   first   to  express  himself  indefinitely  in  the  divine  counsel,  and  definitely  pre- 

with  respect  to  the  termination  of  the  dieted  by  the  prophets. 
Jewish  state,  and  then  by  pi-efixing  the        4.  ni2yin ,   abominations,  by   meton- 


CiiAP.  VII.  4-10  ] 


EZEKIEL. 


43 


5  thee,  and  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah.  Thus  saith  the 
Lord   Jehovah :  A  calamity,  an  only  calamity ;   behold,  it   is 

6  come.     An  end  is  come,  the  end  is  come  ;  it  waketh  up  against 

7  thee  ;  behold  it  is  come.  The  crown  is  come  against  thee,  O 
inhabitant  of  the  land  ;  the  time  is  come ;  the  day  of  tumult  is 

8  come,  and  not  the  joyous  shout  of  the  mountains.  Now  speedily 
will  I  pour  out  my  fury  upon  thee,  and  exhaust  mine  anger  on 
thee,  and  judge  thee  according  to  thy  ways ;  yea,  I  will  render 

9  unto  thee  all  thine  abominations.  And  mine  eye  shall  not 
spare,  neither  will  I  have  pity ;  according  to  thy  ways  I  will 
render  unto  thee  ;  and  thine  abominations  shall  be  in  the  midst 
of  thee,  and  ye   shall   know   that  I  am  Jehovah  that  smiteth. 

10       Behold  the  day,  behold,  it  is  come,  the  crown  is  gone  forth,  the 


ymy  of  the  cause  for  the  effect,  the  pun- 
ishments inflicted  on  account  of  the 
abominable  idolatries  in  which  the  Jews 
had  indulged.  In  these  punishments, 
the  idolatries  in  all  their  hateful  forms 
might  be  regarded  as  presenting  them- 
selves to  the  view  of  those  who  had  been 
guilty  of  them. 

5.  The  threatened  calamity  is  an- 
nounced as  nnx  ,  one,  onlj,  singular,  the 
only  one  of  its  kind,  because  of  its  unex- 
ampled severity.     Comp.  Song  vi.  9,  and 

the  Arab.  0^.^f«j'^«.j  ,  the  only  day,  a 

time  distinguished  on  account  of  its  un- 
usual calamity.  "lIjJ?  ,  after,  though  the 
reading  of  upwards  of  twenty-three  MSS. 
and  adopted  in  nine  printed  editions,  is 
less  entitled  to  regard. 

6.  A  repetition  of  the  language  cm- 
ployed  ver.  3.  The  addition  of  f^l^ , 
behold,  in  this  and  the  preceding  verse, 
gives  emphasis  to  the  announcements. 

7.  The  prophet  commences  this  verse 
with  "^^^  J  the  verb  with  which  he  had 
concluded  the  last.  Its  frequent  repeti- 
tion was  calculated  to  strike  terror  into 
the  minds  of  the  Jews.  Various  inter- 
pretations have  been  given  of  HT^BS  . 
Our  translators  appear  to  have  adopted 
the  idea  of  morninrj  from  the  Syriac  and 
Chaldee,  and  from  the  strikingly  parallel 
passage  Joel  ii.  2,  where,  however,  the 
Hebrew   is  ^n^^ .      Gesenius,    Maurer, 


and  others :  the  circle  comes  to  thee. ; 
meaning,  it  is  now  thy  turn  to  be  pun- 
ished. From  the  fact,  that  the  same 
word,  written  without  the  Yod,  occurs 
as  parallel  with  '^^'?  >  sceptre,  ver.  10, 
I  regard  the  signification  to  be  crown,  i.e. 
the  crowned  one  =  Nebuchadnezzar.  The 
powerful  and  victorious  monarch  had 
already  come  forth  from  his  residence, 
and  would  speedily  inflict  the  predicted 
judgments  on  the  Jews.  For  this  sig- 
nification of  the  term  see  my  Comment, 
on  Isa.  xxviii.  5.     The  idea  of  conqueror 

inheres   in   the  cognate   Arab.    \  o,p , 

vicit,  superavit,  victonam  reportavit.  DT"!! 
nTD'iiTS  should,  according  to  rule,  have 
been  n^jnnan  m"i  or  simply  M-a"!!^  Dii 
but  the  awful  period  of  judgment  was  so 
prominently  in  the  mind  of  the  prophet 
that  more  emphatically  to  mark  it,  he 
places  the  article  before  the  former  of 
the  two  nouns,  "in  is  a  contracted  form 
of  T]!^ »  which  is  otherwise  used  of  the 
joyous  shout  of  the  vintagers,  but  hei'e 
of  that  of  idolatrous  feasts,  celebrated  on 
the  mountains  in  honor  of  the  false  gods. 
Instead,  nothing  was  to  be  heard  but 
the  sounds  of  tumult  and  confusion  oc- 
casioned by  the  fury  of  the  enemy. 

8,  9.  A  repetition  of  verses  3  and  4. 

10.  Here,  as  observed  on  ver.  7,  f^"?^  » 
crown,  and  "t^"?  ,  7vd  or  sceptre,  are  par- 
allel, and  designate  the  king  of  Babylon. 


44 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  VII.  10-14. 


11  sceptre  flourisheth,  pride  hath  budded.  Violence  hath  risen  up 
for  a  rod  of  wickedness  ;  there  shall  be  none  of  them,  neither  of 
their  multitude,  nor  of  their  substance  ;  neither  shall  there  be  any 

12  wailing  for  them.  The  time  is  come,  the  day  hath  approached; 
let  not  the  buyer  rejoice,  and  let  not  the  seller  grieve,  for  fury 

13  shall  be  to  all  her  multitude.  For  the  seller  shall  not  return  to 
that  which  is  sold,  though  they  were  yet  alive  ;  for  the  vision  is 
for  the  whole  multitude  of  her ;  one  shall  not  return,  nor  shall 

14  any  man  strengthen  his  life  by  his  iniquity.  Blow  ye  with  a 
blast,  and  make  all  ready  ;  yet  none  goeth  to  the  battle,  for  my 


As  tlie  latter  term  signifies  the  rod  or 
instrument  of  punishment,  as  well  as 
the  badge  of  royalty,  it  has  singular 
force  in  this  connection.  Compai-e  Isa. 
X.  5.  The  blossoming  and  budding  are 
to  be  referred  to  the  imposing  and  inso- 
lent bearing  of  the  conqueror  and  his 
army.  That  "iTlJ  ,  pride,  is  to  be  referred 
to  the  king  of  Babylon,  compare  Jcr.  1. 
31,  32.  This  construction  is  more  suit- 
able to  the  connection  than  that  adopted 
by  Jerome  and  others,  which  would  refer 
the  term  to  tlie  pride  of  the  Jews. 

11.  By  "'r"i"in^'a  is  meant  the  rod 
for  the  punishment  of  wickedness,  i.e.  of 
the  idolatry  of  the  Jews.  Compare 
Zech.  V.  8.  That  rod  was  invested  with 
irresistible  power,  and  should  come  down 
upon  them  with  awful  violence.  Con- 
siderable obscurity  attaches  to  the  follow- 
ing striking;  jjaronomasia  :  Ksl.  Cfl^a  t<b 
Ctirn^  Xbl  C3ir!ri?3.  The  most'prob. 
able  rendering  is  that  given  by  Gesenius  : 
There  shall  remain  nothinrjofthem,  neither 
of  their  multitude,  nor  of  their  wealth,  tak- 
ing Cii  or  Cfn  in  the  last  word  to  be  an 
unusual  form,  equivalent  to  "I'^t^ »  and 
adopted  for  the  sake  of  the  paronomasia. 

S^  is  used  as  ^^jo ,  the  negative  abso- 
lute in  Arabic,  in  the  sense  of  nothing  of. 
»U15  t  as  interpreted  by  Gesenius  to  sig- 
nify something  splendid,  winds  up  the 
description  very  tamely.  I  prefer  the 
sense  o{  waili7ig  as  given  in  our  common 
version  from  the  Jewish  interpreters, 
who  derive  the  noun  from  the  root  n<^5 , 


to  heicail,  lament.  The  prophet  was  to 
announce  the  imiversallj-  sweeping  con- 
sequences of  the  Chaldean  conquest  of 
Jerusalem.  There  should  be  none  left 
to  bewail  the  slain  and  the  captives. 
Compare  Jer.  xvi.  4-7. 

12,  13.  A  complete  change  was  to 
take  place  in  the  aflfairs  of  life.  The 
buyer  of  a  portion  of  land  should  have 
no  gi-ound  for  self-congratulation  on 
account  of  the  bargain  he  had  made, 
nor  the  seller  for  regret  on  account  of 
what  be  had  parted  with  ;  they  were  to 
be  deprived  of  all  their  property,  or 
removed  to  a  distant  country,  and  thus 
be  denied  the  privilege  of  recovering 
their  possessions  in  the  year  of  jubilee 
(Lev.  XXV.  13).  Though  they  might 
be  spared  in  life  till  the  return  of  that 
year,  it  would  avail  them  nothing.  Nor 
was  any  one  to  imagine  that  Avhile  he 
emboldened  himself  in  his  iniquity,  he 
could  possibly  prosper.  Instead  of  "|i~H  , 
icrath,  vcr.  12,  we  have  TiTPI ,  vision, 
forming  a  paronomasia  with  it,  ver.  13. 
Since  the  former  word  occurs  again  in 
the  same  sentence  repeated  ver.  14,  there 
is  less  reason  to  suspect  an  error  of  tran- 
scription, however  much  the  words  re- 
semble each  other. 

14.  So  completely  disheartened  should 
be  the  inhabitants  of  Judea,  that  none 
should  be  found  with  sufficient  courage 
to  obej'  the  summons  to  encounter  the 
Chaldeans.      The  words    i'ipra  ilS'pn 

-    •     T   -  ':    IT 

so  correspond  to  I^Jpn  ?''pna  Jcr.  vi.  1, 
that  some  have  supposed  that  Ezekiel 


Chap.  VIII.  14-22.] 


EZEKIEL. 


45 


15  wrath  is  against  all  her  multitude.  The  sword  is  without,  and 
the  pestilence  and  the  famine  within  ;  he  that  is  in  the  field  shall 
die  by  the  sword,  and  him  that  is  in  the  city  the  pestilence  and  the 

16  famine  shall  devour.  But  those  of  them  that  escape  shall  escape, 
and  be  upon  the  mountains  as  doves  of  the  valleys,  all  of  them 

17  mourning,  every  one  for  his  iniquity.     All  hands  shall  be  feeble, 

18  and  all  knees  shall  flow  like  water.  And  they  shall  gird  them- 
selves with  sackcloth,  and  horror  shall  cover  them,  and  shame 

19  shall  be  upon  all  faces,  and  baldness  upon  all  their  heads.  They 
shall  cast  away  their  silver  into  the  streets,  and  their  gold  shall 
be  removed ;  their  silver  and  their  gold  shall  not  be  able  to 
deliver  them  in  the  day  of  Jehovah's  indignation  :  they  shall  not 
satisfy  their  souls  nor  fill  their  bowels,  because  it  was  the  stum- 

20  bling-block  of  their  iniquity.  And  as  to  their  beautiful  orna- 
ment, it  was  placed  for  glory,  but  they  set  up  their  abominations 


borrowed  them  from  his  brother  prophet. 
Whatever  there  may  be  in  this,  it  is 
doubtful  whether  ^IpH  is,  as  there,  to 
be  taken  as  the  name  of  a  place,  or 
whether  it  is  not  rather  to  be  regarded 
as  the  infinitive  used  substantively,  de- 
noting a  blast.  I  incline  to  the  latter 
construction. 

15.  No  security  should  anywhere  be 
found.  Whether  in  the  open  country, 
or  in  the  fortified  city,  the  Jews  should 
be  equally  exposed  to  disaster.  There 
is  a  striking  analogy  between  the  descrip- 
tion here  given  of  the  circumstances  of 
the  Jews  at  the  time  of  the  Chaldean 
invasion,  and  that  given  by  our  Lord  of 
the  invasion  by  the  llomans  (Matt.  xxiv. 
16-18). 

16.  However  universal  the  havoc  made 
by  the  enemy  might  be,  as  pi-edieted  in 
the  preceding  verses,  a  few  would  escape 
to  the  clefts  of  the  mountains,  and  there 
find  safety.  Timid  as  doves  frightened 
from  their  peaceful  valley's  (compare  Ps. 
xi.  1),  and  having  time  for  reflection, 
they  should  sincerely  repent  of  the  sins 
which  had  brought  such  calamities  upon 
their  city  and  nation,  each  one  specially 
filled  with  sorrow  on  account  of  his  own 
guilt. 

17-19.  The  comparison  to  water  has 


reference  to  its  gentle  flow,  without  any 
power  of  resistance.  It  is  emblematical 
of  extreme  weakness  (Josh.  vii.  5  ;  Ps. 
xxii.  15).  The  3  of  comparison  is  ell ip- 
tically  omitted.  The  prophet  here  re- 
verts to  his  countrymen  generally,  and 
depicts  their  disconsolate  and  bewildered 
condition  when  attacked  by  the  Chal- 
deans. To  express  this  more  forcibly, 
they  are  described  as  appearing  with 
such  tokens  of  mourning  as  were  cus- 
tomary on  occasion  of  great  national 
calamities  as  well  as  of  private  losses,  and 
casting  their  silver  and  gold-bedecked 
idols  into  the  streets  to  satisfy  the  cupid- 
ity of  the  enemy,  and  thus  divert  his 
attention  from  themselves  and  their 
houses.  That  these  idols,  and  not  gold 
and  silver  simply  considered,  are  meant, 
appears  from  its  being  added  that  they 
were  the  stumbling-block  of  their  iniq- 
uity. Their  worship  of  these  objects, 
instead  of  adhering  to  the  service  of  the 
true  God,  was  the  cause  of  their  ruin. 
What  silver  or  gold  they  might  other- 
wise have  had,  could  procure  them  no 
sustenance,  for  this  was  not  to  be  had  at 
any  price. 

20-22.  Most  modern  commentators 
explain  l"'']^  "'3^  ,  his  beautiful  ornament, 
of  the  costly  ornaments  of  the  Jews,  con- 


46 


E  Z  E  K I E  L . 


[Chap.  VII.  20-27. 


21 


22 


and  their  abhorrent  idols  in  it ;  wherefore  I  have  delivered  it 
to  them  for  removal.  Yea,  I  have  delivered  it  into  the  hand  of 
the  barbarians  for  a  spoil,  and  to  the  wicked  of  the  earth  for  a 
prey,  and  they  shall  profane  it.  And  I  will  turn  away  my  face 
from  them,  and  they  shall  profane  my  secret  place  ;  yea,  tyrants 
shall  enter  into  it  and  pollute  it. 

23  Make  the  chain,  for  the  land  is  filled  with  blood-guiltiness,  and 

the  city  is  filled  with  violence. 

24  And  I  will  bring  the  worst  of  the  heathen,  and  they  shall  possess 

their  houses,  and  I  will  make  the  pomp  of  the  strong  to  cease, 
and  they  shall  profane  their  holy  places.  Destruction  cometh, 
and  they  shall  seek  for  peace,  but  there  shall  be  none.  Calamity 
upon  calamity  cometh,  and  report  shall  follow  report ;  aud  they 
shall  seek  a  vision  from  the  prophet,  but  the  law  shall  perish 


25 
26 


Eidering  the  prophet  to  be  merely  enUirg- 
ing  on  their  personal  privations,  of  which 
he  had  been  treating  ;  but  I  ageee  with 
Hengstenberg  and  Fairbairn  that  the 
temple  is  meant.  The  terra  ''Sit  is  in- 
deed frequently  applied  to  the  land  of 
the  Hebrews  (Dan.  viii.  9 ;  xi.  16,  41 ; 
Ezek.  XX.  6,  15  ;  Jer.  iii.  19)  ;  but  as 
the  temple  was  the  most  magnificent 
object  in  the  country,  the  term  may 
specially  be  regarded  as  applicable  to 
that  splendid  edifice.  'pN5 ,  pride,  in  a 
good  sense  :  rnajestij,  glory.  The  temple, 
which  was  designed  to  be  the  residence 
of  the  Divine  Majesty,  the  Jews  had  pol- 
luted by  setting  up  and  worshipping 
idols  in  it.  W2ir ,  used  impersonally, 
is  best  rendered  in  English  by  the  pas- 
sive. Cn'^l^np'j  Cn''a?''in  ,  their  detesta- 
tions, their  abominations,  i.e.  their  most 
abhorrent  idols.  These  they  had  had  the 
audacity  to  establish  as  rivals  of  Jehovah 
in  his  own  sacred  temple.  See  chap, 
viii.  3-17.  What  confirms  this  view  of 
the  prophet's  meaning  is  the  mention 
made,  ver.  22,  of  the  J^^ji^*  T132J ,  secret 
place  of  Jehovah,  the  holy  of  holies,  en- 
trance to  which  was  interdicted  to  all 
except  the  high  priest,  who  was  only 
allowed  to  go  into  it  once  a  j'ear,  on  the 
great  day  of  atonement.  The  pronom- 
inal affix  <^  in  na  is  by  cnallage  to  be 


referred  to  *)^£^  •  The  Chaldeans  would 
profane  the  temple  by  entering  its  most 
sacred  recess,  and  destroyin<r  and  rob- 
bing  its  treasures,  ttns ,  ver.  20,  to 
them,  the  Chaldeans  characterized  as 
C"Jf^ ,  the  barbarians,  in  the  following 
verse. 

23.  The  prophet  is  directed  to  make 
a  chain,  which  was  a  fit  symbol  of  the 
captivity  ;  it  having  been  customary  in 
ancient  times  to  lead  away  the  captives 
in  a  row,  with  a  chain  passed  on  from 
the  neck  of  one  to  that  of  another ;  as 
may  be  seen  on  the  plates  in  Wilkinson's 
Manners  of  the  Ancient  Egyptians. 
Compare  Jer.  xxvii.  2.  P'il^^'7  -  with 
the  Art.,  the  well-known  chain  employed 
on  such  occasions  (Jarchi,  rbobd). 
The  word  is  derived  from  p"^ ,  Arab. 

(Sj\  ,  to  bind,  put  in  Jitters. 

24.  C^IJ  "^jjn ,  the  genitive  of  compar- 
ison, the  wicked  of  nations,  for  the  most 
wicked,  the  worst.  Dr;'^C"t|5?3  should 
be  ppinted  DH'^dnp^,  their  sanctuaries, 
i.e.  the  sacred  compartments  of  the  tem- 
ple, and  other  places  set  apart  for  devo- 
tion.    Comp.  chap.  xxi.  7. 

25-27.  I'^'^^p,  horrible  destruction.  The 
idea  is  taken  from  the  appearance  of  the 
hedgehog  C^Sp),  which,  rolling  itself 
up  into  a  ball,  presents  a  phalanx  of 


Chap.  VIII.  1.] 


EZEKIEL. 


47 


27  from  the  priest  and  counsel  from  the  elders.  As  for  the  king, 
he  shall  mourn,  and  the  prince  shall  he  clothed  with  astonish- 
ment, and  the  hands  of  the  people  of  the  land  shall  shake ; 
because  of  their  way  I  will  deal  with  them,  and  according  to 
their  deserts  I  will  judge  them ;  and  they  shall  know  that  I  am 
Jehovah. 


spears  that  renders  the  attack  of  most 
animals  fruitless.  In  the  accumulation 
of  calamities  which  should  come  upon 
the  people,  they  would  gladly  receive 
instruction  from  those  who  had  been 
their  spiritual  guides,  compare  Isa.  xxvi. 
9  ;  but  these  should  not  have  it  in  their 
power  to  afford  them  any  counsel.  The 
ecclesiastical  estate  should  be  entirely 
broken  up.  They  should  go  to  the 
priests,  not  penitently  to  present  an 
atonement  for  their  sins,  but  merely  to 
see  whether  they,  as  learned  men,  would 
be  able  to  suggest  any  means  by  v/hich 


they  might  be  delivered  from  the  calam- 
ities that  had  come  upon  them.  O^ppT , 
elders,  the  official  ecclesiastical  rulers  of 
the  people. 

27.  The  constei'nation  and  perplexity 
should  be  general,  extending  to  all 
ranks  of  the  people.  'c"}»J^  C?  7  the  peo- 
ple of  the  land  or  country,  i.e.  the  common 
people  as  contrasted  with  the  classes 
just  mentioned.  The  ^  in  D3";'3?2  ex- 
presses the  ground  or  cause  of  the  threat- 
ened calamities.  For  cn"'i;Qw"^n" ,  sev- 
enteen MSS.,  perhaps  one  originally, 
and  the  Vulg.  read  cr^-i-jQ-li^DI . 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Tliis  chapter  contains  the  account  of  a  trance  in  wliich  Ezekiel  was  in  his  house  on  the 
Chebar,  1,  2;  his  conveyance  in  this  state  to  Jerusalem,  where,  witliin  the  precincts  of 
the  temple,  ho  had  a  renewed  manifestation  of  the  divine  glory  which  he  had  seen  in 
the  first  vision,  3,  4;  a  vision  of  difierent  forms  of  idolatry  practised  in  the  temple:  the 
Syrian  5,  6;  the  Egyptian,  7-12;  the  Phoenician,  13,  14;  and  the  I'ersian,  15,  IG;  on 
which  an  appeal  is  made  in  reference  to  these  atrocious  abominations,  and  a  denuncia- 
tion of  the  unsparing  punishment  with  which  they  were  to  be  visited,  17,  18. 

RosenmUller,  H.ivornick,  and  Hitzig,  regard  this  chapter,  together  with  the  three  following, 
as  forming  a  separate  and  distinct  portion  of  the  book.  Fairbairn  treats  the  viii.  by 
itself,  and  the  ix.  x.  and  xi.  as  a  connected  portion. 

1  And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  sixth  year,  in  the  sixth  month,  on  the 
fifth  of  the  month,  I  was  sitting  in  my  hoitse,  and  the  elders  of 
Judali  were  sitting  before  me,  and  the  hand  of  the  Lord  Jehovah 


1 .  The  sixth  year  here  assigned  as  the 
date  of  the  vision  is  doubtless  that  of  the 
captivity  of  Jehoiachin,  the  fifth  of  which 
is  specified  chap.  i.  2  ;  the  seventh,  chap. 
XX.  1  ;  the  ninth,  chap.  xxiv.  1 ;  the 
tenth,  chap.  xxix.  1 ;  the  eleventh,  chaps. 
xxvi.  1,  xxxi.  1  ;  the  twelfth,  chaps. 
xxxii.  1,  xxxiii.  21  ;    the  twenty-fifth, 


chap.  xl.  I  ;  the  twenty-seventh,  chap, 
xxix.  17.  That  captivity  was  an  event 
so  fresh  in  the  memory  of  the  exiles  and 
so  determinative  of  their  fate,  that  it 
must,  in  their  estimation,  have  had  an 
unparalleled  degree  of  importance  at- 
tached to  it.  The  reason  why  the  elders 
were  sitting  before  Ezekiel  is  not  stated ; 


48 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  YIU.  1-4. 


descended  upon  me  there.  And  I  looked,  and  behold,  a  form 
like  the  appearance  of  a  man  ;  from  the  appearance  of  his  loins 
and  downwards  there  was  fire,  and  from  his  loins  and  upwards 
there  was  as  the  appearance  of  splendor,  as  the  appearance  of 
polished  brass.  And  he  put  forth  the  form  of  a  hand,  and  laid 
hold  of  me  by  a  lock  of  my  head,  and  the  Spirit  raised  me  up 
between  the  earth  and  the  heaven,  and  brought  me  to  Jerusalem, 
in  the  visions  of  God,  to  the  door  of  the  inner  gate  that  looketh 
northward,  where  was  a  pedestal,  the  image  of  jealousy,  which 
caused  jealousy.     And  behold,  there  the  glory  of  the  God  of 


but  most  probably  it  was  that  they  might 
listen  to  any  further  communications 
•which  he  might  have  been  commissioned 
to  make  to  them  in  reference  to  their 
captivity.  That  they  otherwise  were 
present  as  witnesses  of  the  sublime  scene, 
as  Havernick  supposes,  I  cannot  find. 
For  the  phrase  ""'irTl  ^^,  see  on  chap. 
i.  3. 

2.  Instead  of  'wX,  ^fire,  the  LXX., 
according  to  the  Complut.  and  Aldiue 
editions,  have  read  1^'^X ,  «  man,  which, 
though  only  one  of  Kennicott's  MSS. 
has  read  thus  originally,  commends  it- 
self as  the  true  reading  by  the  reterence 
made  in  the  immediate  connection  to  the 
loins  and  hand  of  a  man,  and  by  the 
circumstance  of  ^X  occurring  in  the 
following  clause,  This  conjecture  is 
approved  by  Houbigant,  Seeker,  New- 
come,  Eosenmiiller,  Ewald,  and  Hitzig. 
The  appearance  of  this  human  form  was 
distinguished  by  a  brilliancy  such  as  the 
prophet  had  seen  in  his  first  vision, 
chap.  i.  4  ;  and  the  person  i-eferred  to 
was  doubtless  the  Angel  of  the  Covenant. 
nb-S'w'n ,  the  feminine  of  ^?T^"n  in  the 
passage  just  quoted,  which  see. 

3.  The  hand  taking  the  prophet  by  a 
lock  of  his  hair,  and  his  being  lifted  up 
by  the  Spirit,  are  not,  of  course,  to  be 
taken  literally,  but  are  parts  of  the  scenic 
representation.  'ETrio-T-^crni  Set,  oti  eV 
ipdcei  Qeov  Tavra  6  trpoip-qT-iis  icpr]  Luipa- 
Keyai.  Ov  toIvvv  fftDfxaTiiCTi  ^f  /xeTadecns, 
ovSe  tS)V  t^s  (TapKhs  6<pdaAiJ.u>v  7)  Oeaipia, 
oAA'   iv  T(f    oiKtf  Ka6ri[J,evo$   fiera^v    tSiv 


•Kpeafivrepoiv  'Iou5o  ravrrjv  airacrav  r^v 
oTTTaaiay  ecipa,  Thcodoret.  Transported 
in  spirit  to  Jerusalem,  the  prophet  was 
set  down  at  the  north  gate,  which  was 
that  facing  the  direction  in  which  he  is 
supposed  to  have  been  conducted  from 
his  residence  on  the  Chebar.  Within 
this  gate,  which  opened  into  the  outer 
court  of  the  temple,  was  another, 
r"^p"^:En ,  the  inner,  leading  to  the  court 
of  the  priests,  in  which  stood  the  altar 
of  burnt-offering,  where  the  ordinary 
worship  was  presented.  Here  was  the 
adl72 ,  pedestal,  on  which  had  stood  the 
statue  or  image  of  Astarte,  which  Ma- 
nasseh  had  had  the  audacious  effrontery 
to  erect  in  the  temple  of  Jehovah  (2  Kings 
xxi.  7).  This  idol,  arresting  the  atten- 
tion of  all  who  came  to  worship  in  the 
temple  just  as  they  entered  it,  claimed, 
as  the  rival  of  Jehovah,  their  adoration, 
on  which  account  it  is  called  f^XIi3<^  3^D 
the  imafje  of  jealous)/.  The  worship  of 
this  idol,  consecrated  by  the  Syrians  to 
Venus,  was  accompanied  with  licentioiis 
rites,  and  must  have  been  jieculiarly 
offensive  to  the  Holy  One  of  Israel.  See 
my  Comment,  on  Isa.  xvii.  8. 

4.  Great  as  had  been  the  pi'ovocation 
given  by  the  worship  of  this  idol,  Jeho- 
vah is  represented  as  not  yet  having 
removed  his  presence  from  \he  temple. 
The  symbol  of  that  presence  —  the  glori- 
ous effulgence  of  Him  M'ho  dwelt  between 
the  cherubim  —  met  the  eye  of  the  proph- 
et. See  chap.  x.  4.  It  is  added  that 
there    was   a   correspondence    between 


Chap.  A^II.  4-12.] 


EZEKIEL. 


49 


10 


Israel,  as  the  appearance  which  I  saw  in  the  valley.  And  he 
said  unto  me  :  Son  of  man,  lift  up  now  thine  eyes  in  the  way 
towards  the  north.  So  I  lifted  up  mine  eyes  in  the  way  towards 
the  north,  and  behold,  on  the  north,  at  the  gate  of  the  altar, 
this  image  of  jealousy  at  the  entrance.  And  he  said  unto  me  : 
Son  of  man,  seest  thou  what  they  are  doing  ?  the  great  abomina- 
tions which  the  house  of  Israel  are  committing  here,  to  cause 
me  to  go  far  off  from  my  sanctuary  ?  but  turn  yet  again,  and 
thou  shall  see  greater  abominations.  And  he  brought  me  to  the 
door  of  the  court,  and  I  looked,  and  behold,  a  hole  in  the  wall. 
Then  he  said  unto  me  ;  Son  of  man,  dig  now  in  the  wall ;  and 
I  digged  in  the  wall,  and  behold,  a  door.  And  he  said  unto  me  ; 
Go  in,  and  see  the  wicked  abominations  which  they  are  commit- 
ting here.  So  I  went  in,  and  saw,  and  behold,  every  form  of 
creeping  things  and  abominable  beasts,  and  all  the  dung-gods 


this  display  of  the  divine  glory,  and  that 
which  he  had  seen  in  the  plain,  chaps. 
i.  26-28  ;  iii.  12,  22,  23. 

5.  Ezekiel  is  now  supposed  to  be 
within  the  court  of  the  priests ;  and, 
facing  the  north,  he  has  his  attention 
specially  directed  to  the  idolatrous  statue 
which  had  been  placed  beside  the  gate 
leading  to  the  altar  of  burnt-offering. 
From  what  is  here  stated,  it  is  to  be 
inferred  that  the  prophet  saw  the  idol 
in  vision,  though  it  may  actually  have 
been  removed  by  Josiah  when  he  pui"i- 
fied  the  temple.  The  object  of  the  vis- 
ion was  to  represent  the  different  forms 
of  idolatry  in  which  the  Jews  had  in- 
dulged within  the  precincts  of  the  sacred 
edifice,  and  which  drew  down  upon 
them  the  punishment  of  the  captivity. 

6.  DtlO  ,  a  contracted  form  of  on  rna  , 
as  D2^^  forDDb'rTa,  Isa.  iii.  15.  In 
'^l^'^'r  ?  >  the  n  is  paragogic  and  em- 
phatic. It  has  been  questioned  to  whom 
this  Infinitive  is  to  be  referred  as  its 
object,  whether  to  Jehovah  or  to  the 
Jews.  In  my  opinion,  it  is  more  natural 
to  refer  it  to  the  former,  the  removal  of 
whose  glory  from  the  temple  was  the 
immediate  precursor  and  signal  of  its 
being  abandoned  to  destruction. 

7-12.  The  framework  of  the  temple 
5 


consisted  of  massive  stone,  wainscoted 
with  cedar-wood.  The  hole  in  the  wall 
marked  the  entrance  which  led  into  the 
chambers  of  imagery.  It  had,  however, 
been  blocked  up  in  the  time  of  the  refor- 
mation effected  by  Josiah,  and  required 
to  be  re-opened  in  order  to  afibrd  access. 
This  operation  the  prophet  is  command- 
ed to  perform,  on  which  the  door  of  the 
idolatrous  adytum  presented  itself  to 
his  view.  He  now  found  himself  sur 
rounded  by  monuments  of  Egyptian 
idolatry  depicted  on  the  walls  of  the 
chambers.  That  it  was  customary  for 
the  Egyptians  to  adorn  their  chambers 
with  hieroglyphics,  appears  from  the 
testimony  of  Diodorus  Siculus,  who 
states,  (i.  p.  59,  ed.  Wess.)  that  "round 
the  room  at  Thebes,  where  the  body  of 
king  Osymanduas  was  buried,  a  multi- 
tude of  chambers  was  built,  which  had 
elegant  paintings  of  the  animals  held 
sacred  in  Egypt."  Thus  also  Ammianus 
Marcellinus  (lib. xxii.):  Sunt  et  Syringes 
subterranei  quidam  et  flexuosi  secessus, 
quos,  ut  fertur,  periti  rituum  vetustorum 

penitus  operosis  digestos  fodinis 

per  loca  divcrsa  struxerunt,  et  excisis 
parietibus,  volucrum  ferarumque  genera 
multa  sculpserunt,  quas  hieroglyphicas 
literas  appellarunt.     The  hieroglyphics, 


50 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  VIII.  7-U. 


of  the  house  of  Israel,  portrayed  upon  the  wall  round  about. 

11  And  there  stood  before  them  seventy  men  of  the  ancients  of  the 
house  of  Israel,  and  in  the  midst  of  them  stood  Jaazaniah,  the 
son  of  Shaphan,  every  man  with  his  censer  in  his  hand ;  and  a 

12  thick  cloud  of  incense  was  ascending.  Then  he  said  unto  me  : 
Seest  thou,  son  of  man,  what  the  ancients  of  the  house  of  Israel 
are  doing  in  the  dark,  every  man  in  the  chambers  of  his  imagery  ? 
for  they  say  :  Jehovah  seeth  us  not ;  Jehovah  hath  forsaken  the 

13  earth.     He  said  also  unto  me  :  Turn  yet  again  ;  thou  shalt  see 


which  were  pictured  signs  of  outward 
objects,  in  general  abounded  in  those  of 
all  kinds  of  animals,  and  were  symbolical 
of  the  degrading  objects  of  Egyptian 
worship  : 

"  The  wildest  images,  unheard  of,  strange. 
That  ever  puzzled  antiquarians'  brains; 
Genii  with  heads  of  birds,  hawks,  ibes,  drakes. 
Of  lions,  foxes,  cats,  fisli,  frogs,  and  snakes. 
Bulls,  rams,  and  monkeys;  hippopotami 
With  knife  in  paw,  suspended  from  the  sky; 
Gods  germinating  men,  and  men  turned  gods. 
Seated  in  honor,  with  gilt  crooks  and  rods; 
Vast  scarabsei,  globes  by  hands  upheld, 
From  chaos  springing,  'mid  an  endless  field 
Of  forms  grotesque,  the  sphinx,  the  crocodile. 
And  other  reptiles  from  the  slime  of  Nile." 

To  these  the  Jews,  insatiate  with 
idolatry,  had  added  pictured  representa- 
tions of  all  the  other  fictitious  deities  to 
whose  worship  they  were  addicted.  The 
chambers  formed  a  complete  Pantheon. 
To  aggravate  the  evil,  it  is  represented 
as  committed  by  the  members  of  the 
Sanhedrim,  who,  from  their  judicial 
character,  were  bound  to  suppress  all 
acts  of  idolatry.  Instead  of  fulfilling 
their  duty  in  discountenancing  whatever 
was  opposed  to  the  holy  service  of  Jeho- 
vah, they  were  not  only  ringleaders  in 
the  scenes  of  wickedness,  but  went  so 
far  as  to  deny  the  omniscience  and  om- 
nipresence of  the  Most  High.  The  sev- 
enty elders  were  originally  a  select  body 
taken  from  the  oldest  and  most  judicious 
of  the  people  (Numb.  xi.  16,  17,  24,25). 
If  the  Shaphan  here  mentioned  is  to  be 
conceived  of  as  the  scribe  who  read  to 
Josiah  the  book  of  the  law  which  was 
found  in  the  temple,  we  cannot  imagine 
that  he  would  neglect  to  communicate 


to  his  family  all  that  transpired  on  the  oc- 
casion :  the  circumstance  will  enhance  the 
guilt  of  his  son  Jaazaniah,  who  rendered 
himself  conspicuously  prominent  in  the 
act  of  idolatrous  worship.  When  it  is 
Baid  each  of  the  seventy  had  his  censer 
in  his  hand,  it  is  not  implied  that  they 
were  priests  belonging  to  the  temple, 
and  that  the  censers  were  necessarily 
those  which  had  been  therein  used,  but 
simply  that  they  were  all  engaged  in 
burning  incense  before  and  in  honor  of 
the  idols.  If,  indeed,  they  prostituted 
the  sacred  utensils  for  this  purpose, 
their  character  must  have  appeared  to 
Ezekiel  in  a  still  more  odious  light. 
Degrees  of  guilt  are  to  be  estimated 
according  to  the  circumstances  in  which 
that  guilt  is  contracted. 

13,  14.  The  next  scene  to  which  the 
prophet  is  introduced,  was  one  of  Phoe- 
nician idolatry. 

"  Thnmmuz  came  next  behind, 
Whose  annual  wound  in  Lebanon  oUured 
The  Syrian  damsels  to  lament  his  fate 
In  amorous  ditties  all  a  summer's  day: 
While  smooth  Adonis  from  his  native  rock 
Ran  purple  to  the  sea,  supposed  with  blood 
Of  Thammuz  yearly  wounded:  the  love  tale 
Infected  Sion's  daughters  with  like  heat. 
Whose  wanton  passions,  in  the  sacred  porch, 
Ezekiel  saw,  when  by  the  vision  led. 
His  eye  surveyed  the  dark  idolatries 
Of  alienated  Judah." 

The  position  occupied  by  the  Jewish 
females  here  described,  was  just  inside 
the  outer  court,  or  that  of  the  women, 
on  the  north  side  of  the  temple.  In- 
stead of  bewailing  their  own  sins,  and 
those  of  their  people,  they  are  represented 
as  celebrating  the  feast  of  Adonis,  whose 


Chap.  VIII.  13-16.] 


EZEKIEL. 


51 


14  greater  abominations  which  they  are  doing.  Then  he  brought 
me  to  the  door  of  the  gate  of  the  house  of  Jehovah,  which  was 
towards  the  north,  and  behold,  there  sat  women  weeping  for 

15  Tammuz.  And  he  said  unto  me  :  Hast  thou  seen  this,  O  son 
of  man  ?  turn  j'et  again  ;  thou  shalt  see  greater  abominations 

16  than  these.  And  he  brought  me  into  the  inner  court  of  the 
house  of  Jehovah,  and  behold,  at  the  door  of  the  temple  of  Jeho- 
vah, between  the  porch  and  the  altar,  were  about  five  and  twenty 
men  with  their  backs  towards  the  temple  of  Jehovah,  and  their 
faces  towards  the  east,  and  they  were  worshipping  the  sun  tow- 


name  the  Vulgate  here  substitutes  for 
Tammuz.  This  Adonis,  according  to 
the  ancient  mythology,  was  a  beautiful 
youth,  who  lived  in  one  of  the  most 
enchanting  regions  of  Lebanon,  where 
the  river  has  its  spring  which  is  called 
by  his  name.  Having,  while  engaged 
in  a  hunt,  been  killed  by  a  wild  boar,  he 
was  bitterly  lamented  by  Venus,  who 
had  been  enamored  of  him.  Owing  to 
her  influence,  as  the  myth  goes,  Proser- 
pina permitted  him  to  spend  one  half 
of  the  3'ear  with  Venus  upon  earth,  but 
he  was  obliged  to  spend  the  other  half 
in  the  lower  world.  Annually  as  the 
time  of  his  death  came  round,  a  feast  in 
honor  of  it  was  celebrated  at  Byblos, 
where  the  river  Adonis,  red  with  blood, 
descended  into  the  sea,  on  which  occa- 
sion the  Syrian  females,  in  frenzied  grief, 
cut  off  their  hair,  or  else  yielded  their 
bodies  for  prostitution,  the  money  they 
earned  by  which  being  consecrated  to 
Venus.  This  feast  was  succeeded  by 
several  days  of  rejoicing  on  account  of 
the  return  of  Adonis  to  the  upper  world. 
To  the  former  feast  the  name  of  acpa- 
vi(Tfj.hs  'ASciyiBos,  the  disappearance  of 
Adonis,  was  given,  and  to  the  latter 
evpecris  'ASanfiSos,  the  Jindinrj  of  Adonis. 
The  same  festival  Avas  celebrated  in 
Egypt  in  honor  of  Osiris,  with  respect 
to  whom  the  fabulous  story  somewhat 
varied.  The  worship  is  otherwise  sup- 
posed to  have  been  symbolical  of  the 
course  of  the  sun  and  his  influence  on 
the  earth.     The  celebration  of  this  festi- 


val falling  in  our  June  or  July,  the  name 
of  Tammuz  was  given  to  this  month  in 
the  Jewish  calendar.  Etymology  may 
be  said  to  have  exhausted  its  powers  in 
endeavoring  to  obtain  a  suitable  deriva- 
tion for  Tian  .  That  proposed  by  Hav- 
ernick  is  as  probable  as  any.  He  con- 
siders the  root  to  have  been  t]^  ,  equiv- 
alent to  00*9  >  to  fail,  melt,  flow  down, 
and  the  form  to  be  contracted  for  IITSin  , 
just  as  "i^nsn  is  derived  from  ^"y^  •  The 
idea  thus  suggested  will  equally  apply 
to  the  fabulous  account  of  Adonis,  to 
the  river  so  called,  and  to  the  diminu- 
tion of  the  solar  influence.  The  Article 
in  Tiann  appears  to  be  used  with  refer- 
ence to  the  appellative  signification  of 
the  term.  Havernick  aptly  remarks, 
that  the  prophet  could  not  have  used 
the  name  Adonis,  owing  to  the  appro- 
priated use  of  '|1"'i<  to  Jehovah.  The 
Jewish  females  are  represented  as  sitting, 
which  was  the  posture  of  mourners  (Job 
ii.  13;  Isa.  iii.  26;  xlvii.  1). 

15,  16.  The  most  aggravated  form  of 
idolatry  here  described  as  witnessed  by 
Ezekiel  was  that  commonly  known  by 
the  name  of  the  Persian,  which  we  find 
recognized  as  existing  so  early  as  the 
time  of  Job  (chap.  xxxi.  26).  It  was 
afterwards  reformed  by  Zoroaster,  and 
consisted  chiefly  in  the  worship  of  the 
sun,  which  the  ancient  Persians  consid- 
ered to  be  the  eye  of  Ormuzd,  their 
principal  deity.  Theheinousnessof  the 
crime  presented  to  the  view  of  Ezekiel 
consisted  in  the  contempt  cast  on  the 


52 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  VIII.  15-17. 


17  ards  the  east.  Then  he  said  unto  me  :  Hast  thou  seen  this,  O 
son  of  man  ?  Is  it  a  light  thing  to  the  house  of  Judah  that  they 
commit  the  abominations  which  they  are  committing  here  ?  for 
they  have  filled  the  land  with  violence,  and  have  turned  back 
to  provoke  me  to  auger ;  and  behold,  they  put  the  branch  to 

18  their  nose.  Therefore  I  also  will  deal  in  fury  ;  mine  eye  shall 
not  spare,  neither  will  I  have  pity,  and  though  they  may  cry  in 
mine  ears  with  a  loud  voice,  yet  I  will  not  hear  them. 


God  of  Israel,  hy  the  woi'shippers  turn- 
ing their  backs  upon  him,  as  dwelling 
between  the  cherubim  over  the  altar  of 
burnt-oft'cring,  directly  in  front  of  the 
eastern  entrance  of  the  temple ;  and 
facing  the  east,  paying  their  adorations 
to  the  rising  sun.  What  added  to  the 
greatness  of  the  crime  was  the  relation 
in  which  the  worshippers  are  supposed 
officially  to  have  stood  to  Jehovah. 
That  these  worshippers  were  the  priests, 
has  justly  been  inferred,  both  from  the 
place  in  which  they  appeared,  which  was 
that  where  the  Jewish  priests  were  ac- 
customed to  perform  the  principal  duties 
of  their  office,  and  from  the  circumstance 
that,  as  Lightfoot  perceived,  the  number 
corresponds  to  that  of  the  twenty-four 
prefects  of  the  courses  into  which  David 
had  distributed  the  priests,  with  the  high 
priest  at  their  head,  making  the  twenty- 
fifth.  cn'^'inpl'^50  is  so  manifestly  an 
error  of  the  copyist,  that  it  is  surprising 
how  Havernick  and  Fairbairn  should 
have  attempted  to  vindicate  the  position 
so  uncritically  adopted  by  Lightfoot, 
that  the  word  was  originally  written  in 
this  corrupt  form,  and  designedly  em- 
ployed to  indicate  the  corrupt  worship 
which  it  describes.  Di'inn'Jtl  is  the 
reading  of  eight  MSS.,  and  has  been 
that  of  seven  more  originally.  Among 
these  codices  are  two  Spanish,  ancient 
and  good. 

17.  The  scene  concludes  with  a  pointed 
appeal  in  reference  to  the  abominations 
which  had  been  described ;  and  in  the 


following  verse  with  an  announcement 
of  Jehovah's  inexorable  threatening  of 
condign  punishment.  CHpUJ  Cifll 
CBX-bj<  iTniT:.Tn-nj< ,  "And  behold,' 
they  put  the  branch  to  their  nose." 
That  by  '^7'"^''-  ^^^^^  ^^'^  sre  to  under- 
stand a  twig  or  branch  (compare  for  this 
signification  chap.  xv.  2),  and  not  a  song, 
seems  best  to  agree  with  the  context, 
and  to  have  reference  to  a  ceremony 
practised  by  the  sun-worshippers,  who, 
on  the  rising  of  that  luminary  in  the 
eastern  horizon,  celebrate  the  event  with 
a  hymn,  during  the  singing  of  which 
they  hold  before  their  face  a  bundle  of 
branches,  taken  from  the  pomegranate 
tree,  the  tamarisk,  or  the  pine.  To  this 
collection  of  branches  they  give  the  name 
of  Barsom.  Strabo  thus  describes  the 
custom  :  Taj  iiruiSas  Troiovvrat  iro\vy 
Xp6voi/  pafi^oov  ixvpiKU'tiiv  Xi-mSiv  Se'ff^rjv 
KaT^xovres.  Compare  Hyde,  Hist.  Eelig. 
Vetcr.  Persar.  lib.  i.  cap.  xxvii.  and 
Klcuker's  Zendavesta,  vol.  iii.  p.  204. 
Havernick  takes  much  pains  to  set  aside 
this  interpretation,  and  to  establish  a 
reference  to  lamentations  for  Adonis ; 
but  in  my  opinion  imsuccessfully.  All 
the  MSS.  read  DQX ,  their  nose,  none 
"iQN ,  v)y  nose.  The  prophet  was  so 
much  disgusted  at  the  profanity  which 
he  had  witnessed  in  the  temple,  that  he 
could  not  close  his  description  without 
adverting  to  this  further  indication  of 
an  idolatrous  preference  of  the  creaturo 
to  the  Creator. 


Chap.  IX.  1-3.] 


EZEKIEL. 


53 


CHAPTER   IX. 

The  vision  in  this  chapter  embraces  the  instruments  to  be  employed  by  Jehovah  in  taking 
vengeance  on  the  guilty  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  1,  2;  his  merciful  regard  to  his  true 
worsliippers,  3,  4;  the  unsparing  punishment  of  the  incorrigible,  5-7;  and  the  refusal  of 
the  prophet's  intercession  on  behalf  of  the  city,  8-11. 

1  Then  he  cried   in  mine  ears  with  a  loud  voice,  saying:    Cause 

them  that  are  in  charge  of  the  city  to  draw  near  quickly,  even 

2  every  one  with  his  weapon  of  destruction  in  his  hand.  And 
behold  six  men  came  from  the  way  of  the  upper  gate  which 
faced  the  north,  and  every  one  with  his  deadly  weapon  in  his 
hand,  and  one  man  among  them  clothed  in  linen,  with  a  writer's 
inkhorn  by  his  side,  and  they  went  in  and   stood   beside    the 


1.  Ezekiel  is  still  in  a  state  of  trance 
in  the  temple,  where  he  hears  the  charge 
given  to  the  executioners  of  the  divine 
indignation  to  approach,  prepared  for 
the  onslaught.  These  executioners  are 
designated  "i''"'7  ni'^IpQ ,  which  may 
cither  be  taken  as  an  elliptical  form  for 
nTnpS  ■''^f?^ »  men  of  the  punishments  of 
the  city,  i.e.  the  men  appointed  to  inflict 
these  punishments ;  or,  riT^pS  may  be 
regarded  as  a  concrete  feminine,  such  as 
is  frequently  used  to  designate  persons 
in  office.  Seelsa.  Ix.  17.  The  term  will 
thus  characterize  those  who  were  in 
charge  of  the  city,  not  indeed  its  usual 
guardians,  but  those  who  were  appointed 
to  destroy  it.  These  were  now  to  draw 
near  and  commence  their  work  of  de- 
struction. 2"^p.  as  here  used  in  Piel, 
is  intensive,  to  intimate  that  their  opera- 
tions were  to  begin  speedily. 

2.  Some,  after  Jerome,  have  supposed 
that  the  six  men  were  angels  ;  but  I 
agree  with  those  who  think  they  were 
representatives  of  the  Chaldean  generals 
who  led  on  the  hostile  army  against 
Jerusalem.  What  confirms  this  view  is 
the  circumstance,  that  they  are  exhibited 
as  coming  from  the  north,  the  direction 
from  which  the  attack  would  be  made. 
V'^^^T}  ^?'r5  'rj';?'^ ,  the  way  of  the  higher 
gate,  i.e.  the  way  leading  to   it.     This 


gate  was  in  all  probability  that  of  Eph- 
raim,  situated  much  about  where  the 
present  gate  of  Damascus  is.  "j'S^  "''S , 
a  maul,  icar-liammer,  or  club,  consisting 
of  a  heavy  piece  of  wood,  effectively  used 
as  an  oftensive  weapon  by  the  ancients. 
Root  'j'S3  ,  to  dash  in  pieces.  It  is  the 
same  that  is  called  n^n'i;^  i?3 ,  a  des- 
troying loeapon,  in  the  preceding  verse. 
The  man  who  appeared  among  the  six 
military  leaders,  though  classed  along 
with  them,  had  a  very  different  office 
assigned  him.  He  was  a  messenger  of 
mercy,  having  been  appointed  to  mark 
the  pious,  to  prevent  any  punishment 
from  being  inflicted  upon  them.  His 
being  dressed  in  a  linen  garment  implies 
that  he  was  a  priest,  such  being  specially 
the  sacerdotal  attire  (Exod.  xxviii.  42) ; 
and,  comparing  the  present  passage  with 
Dan.  X.  5  ;  xii.  6,  we  may  infer  that  he 
was  designed  to  represent  the  Angel  of 
the  Covenant,  in  his  priestly  character, 
mediating  in  behalf  of  his  people.  His 
having  a  writer's  inkhorn  by  his  side 
indicates  his  being  prepared  to  perform 
the  task  devolved  upon  him  at  the  time. 
He  had  his  implements  at  hand,  as  the 
oriental  scribes  in  the  present  day,  who 
suspend  their  inkhorn  in  the  girdle  at 
their  side. 
3.  The  cherubic  figure  here  mentioned 


64 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap,  IX.  3-4. 


brazen  altar.  And  the  glory  of  the  God  of  Israel  was  gone  up 
from  above  the  cherub,  over  which  he  had  been,  to  the  threshold 
of  the  house.  And  he  cried  to  the  man  who  was  clothed  in 
linen,  who  had  the  writer's  inkhorn  by  his  side.  And  Jehovah 
said  -unto  him :  Go  through  the  midst  of  the  city,  through  the 
midst  of  Jerusalem,  and  set  a  mark  upon  the  foreheads  of  the 
men  that  are  sighing  and  crying  on  account  of  all  the  abomina- 
tions which  are  wrought  in  the  midst  of  it. 


differed  from  the  composite  figure  seen 
by  Ezekiel  at  the  Chebar,  and  was  that 
which  overshadowed  the  mercy-seat  in 
the  holy  of  holies.  There  the  symbol  of 
the  divine  presence  had  resided,  (2  Sam. 
vi.  2 ;  Ps.  Ixxx.  1  ;  but  it  had  now  de- 
parted in  token  of  the  abandonment  of 
the  tem])le  to  destruction. 

4.  cb^'-ll']  T\''^r^ ,  through  the  midst 
of  Jerusalem,  is  added  to  "I'^Sn  TjIPS , 
through  the  midst  of  the  citij,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  emphatically  marking  it  as  the 
locality  in  which  the  divine  judgments 
were  to  be  inflicted.  The  priestly  mes- 
senger was  commissioned  to  distinguish, 
by  a  mark  on  their  foreheads,  those 
inhabitants  of  the  city,  who,  deeply 
affected  by  the  sight  of  abounding  idol- 
atry, gave  unequivocal  signs  of  fidelity 
to  Jehovah.  D-^pJXSni  Cnssin  Ibrm 
a  beautiful  paronomasia,  and  express 
with  great  force  the  pungent  feelings  of 
holy  grief  of  which  the  individuals  were 
the  subjects.  They  not  only  groaned 
inwardly  (n3X)  ,  but  they  were  in  such 
anguish  that  they  almost  choked  them- 
selves by  endeavoring  to  give  utterance 
to  their  feelings  (pix).  These  feelings 
were  too  intense  to  admit  of  their  being 
embodied  in  articulate  speech.  Compare 
the  arevayti.01  aKaXtfroi  of  the  apostle, 
Kom.  viii.  26.  Because  "^n,  Tav,  the 
last  letter  in  the  Hebrew  alphabet,  had 
originally,  as  may  be  seen  on  the  Phoeni- 
cian monuments,  the  shape  of  a  cross, 
or  a  post  with  a  transverse  beam,  it  has 
been  maintained,  that  the  mark  which 
the  messenger  was  to  imprint  on  the 
foreheads  of  the  pious  was  specifically 
that  of  the  cross,  and  have  consequently 


given  it  a  Christian  significance.    Even 

Hitzig  renders  zeichne  ein  kreuz.     But, 

though   the  Arabs    give   the   name  of 

—•J    to  a  mark  in  the  shape  of  a  cross 

burnt  into  the  neck  or  thighs  of  horses 
and  camels,  it  cannot  hence  be  inferred 
that  the  word  employed  in  our  prophet 
is  to  be  so  interpreted,  or  that  there 
is  any  reference  whatever  to  a  letter  of 
the    alphabet.      The  Arabic  here  has 

iLoLLc  ,  a  mark  or  sign.  The  text  is 
simply   in  n^inrt;  LXX.  Zhs  arinuov; 

Syr.    ^Afin  oh   )caj9  J   viarkamark. 

The  noun  is  derived  from  the  verb,  and 
takes  the  same  general  signification. 
This  verb  occurs  only  here  in  Hithpael, 
and  but  once  besides  in  Piel  (1  Sam. 
xxi.  13),  where  it  is  used  in  reference  to 
the  marks  which  David  scrawled  on  the 
dooi's  at  Gath.  It  was  customary  with 
the  ancients  to  impress  a  characteristic 
mai'k  upon  the  foreheads  of  servants, 
and  the  worshippers  of  particular  deities 
were  in  like  manner  thus  distinguished. 
Compare  Rev.  vii.  3  ;  xiii.  16  ;  xiv.  1,  9, 
The  object  of  the  marking,  in  the  present 
instance,  was  to  insure  the  safety  of 
those  who  remained  faithful  to  Jehovah 
amidst  the  abounding  abominations. 
The  pious  may  ever  count  on  the  pro- 
tecting care  of  their  heavenly  Father, 
and  feel  assured,  that  how  severe  soever 
may  be  the  trials  through  which  they 
may  have  to  pass,  they  shall  work  to- 
gether for  their  good  (Ps.  xxvii.  3-6  ; 
2  Peter  ii.  6-9;  Isa.  xliii.  2).  No  doubt 
provision  was  made  for  the  escape  of 


Chap.  IX.  4-10.] 


EZEKIEL. 


55 


5  And  to  those  he  said  in  my  ears :  Go  through  the  city  after  him, 

6  and  smite ;  let  not  your  eye  spare,  neither  have  pity.  Slay 
utterly  old  and  young,  both  maids  and  little  children  and 
women,  but  come  not  near  any  man  upon  whom  is  the  mark ; 
and  begin  at  my  sanctuary.     Then  they  began  at  the  ancient 

7  men  who  were  before  the  house.  And  he  said  unto  them : 
Defile  the  house,  and  fill  the  courts  with  the  slain :  go  ye  forth. 

8  And  they  went  forth,  and  slew  in  the  city.  And  it  came  to 
pass  as  they  were  slaying  them,  that  I  was  left,  and  I  fell  upon 
my  face :  and  I  cried  and  said :  Ah,  Lord  Jehovah,  wilt  thou 
destroy  all  the  remainder  of  Israel  in  thy  pouring  out  of  thy 

9  fury  upon  Jerusalem?  Then  he  said  unto  me:  The  iniquity 
of  the  house  of  Israel  and  Judah  is  exceedingly  great,  and  the 
land  is  full  of  blood,  and  the  city  is  full  of  perverseness ;  for 
they  say ;  "  Jehovah   hath  forsaken  the  earth,"  and  "  Jehovah 

10  seeth  not."  And  as  for  me  also,  mine  eye  shall  not  spare, 
neither  will  I  have  pity ;  I  will  recompense  their  way  upon 
their  head. 


these  distinguished  servants  of  God, 
compare  Jer.  xv.  11  ;  xxxix.  11-18,  just 
as  afterwards,  at  the  destruction  of  Jeru- 
salem by  the  Romans,  the  Christians 
made  their  escape  to  Pella,  beyond 
Jordan. 

5-7.  It  seems  passing  strange  that 
Havernick  shoukl  attempt  a  defence  of 
the  reading  5?  f  which  is  so  obviously 
an  orthographical  mistake  for  ?N «  the 
pronunciation  being  the  same.  ?X  is 
found  in  very  many  of  Kennicott  and 
De  Rossi's  MSS.,  and  in  several  of  the 
earlier  printed  editions.  The  pious  hav- 
ing been  placed  in  safety,  the  Chaldeans 
were  let  loose  upon  the  city,  and  an 
indiscriminate  slaughter  ensued.  The 
destruction  was  to  commence  where  the 
greatest  abominations  had  been  com- 
mitted, and  punishment  inflicted  upon 
those  who  had  been  ringleaders  in  idol- 
atry. Compare  1  Peter  iv.  17,  18.  The 
temple  in  which  only  the  blood  of  sacri- 
ficial victims  had  been  poured  out,  was 
now  to  be  desecrated  by  the  dead  bodies 
of  the  slain.  Having  executed  exem- 
plary punishment  in  the  sanctuary  upon 


those  who  had  been  the  foremost  in 
crime,  the  enemies  were  to  go  into  the 
city  and  slay  all  whom  they  fell  in  with. 
8-10.  The  anomalous  form  IX^S? 
has  doubtless  arisen,  as  Gesenius  ob- 
serves, from  the  mingling  of  the  parti- 
cipial form  "IN'-D  with  that  of  the  future 
-IX'^N  .  The  reading  of  the  MSS.  varies, 
some  omitting  the  i< ,  and  others  the  3  . 
Tlic  emphatic  addition  of  the  pronoun 
''?^. »  -^,  would  seem  to  express  the  idea, 
that  Ezekiel  conceived  himself  to  be 
a  solitary  exception  to  the  universal 
slaughter  in  the  temple.  The  introduc- 
tion of  the  prophet's  intercession  was 
designed  to  afford  occasion  for  the  further 
declaration  of  the  divine  abhorrence  of 
the  flagrant  crimes  of  the  Hebrew  people. 
Though  deeply  convinced  that  they 
richly  deserved  the  judgments  that  were 
inflicted  upon  them,  Ezekiel  could  not 
witness  the  murderous  scene  which  was 
being  enacted,  without  feelings  of  com- 
miseration. The  double  form  "iXpS 
^S<p ,  ver>/,  very,  exceedincjli/,  ver.  9,  is 
superlatively  expressive  ;  LXX.  a(p6Spa 
a^65pa.     SeeGen.  xvii.  2,  6  ;  Ezek.  xvi. 


56 


EZEKIEL, 


[Chap.  X.  1-3. 


11  And  behold,  the  man  clothed  in  linen,  with  the  inkhorn  by  his 
side,  reported  the  matter,  saying:  I  have  done  according  as 
thou  commandedst  me. 

13.     flu^p,   properly   the   participle   of        11.  The    messenger,   having    accom- 

Hophal,  from   I'l^S ,  to  stretch   out,  turn  plishcd   his   task,  is  represented  as  re- 

away.     Hence  the  phrase    13S\i:'?3  "^'^pj  porting  the  fact,  to  intimate  the  certainty 

to  turn  aside,  wrest  justice,  and  here  ^1312 ,  of  the  awful  event, 
moral  distortion,  perverseness. 


CHAPTER    X. 

Further  to  indicate  the  dreadful  character  of  the  approaching  catastrophe  to  be  effected 
by  the  Chaldean  power,  Ezekiel  has  a  repetition  of  the  vision  described,  chap.  i.  Some 
of  the  minor  features  vary,  but  the  grand  outlines  are  identical.  His  attention  is  first 
arrested  by  a  luminous  display  of  the  divine  throne,  1;  when  he  hears  an  order  given  to 
the  sacerdotal  messenger  described  in  the  preceding  chapter  to  inflict  the  judgments  on 
the  city,  2;  after  which  he  sees  the  visible  symbol  of  the  presence  of  Jehovah  remove  to 
the  threshold  of  the  temple,  3-7.  Thence,  to  the  end  of  the  chapter,  follows  the  de- 
scription of  the  cherubim. 

1  Then  I  looked,  and  behold,  in  the  expanse  that  was  above  the 

head  of  the  cherubim,  there  appeared  over  them  as  it  were  a 

2  sapphire-stone,  as  the  appearance  of  the  form  of  a  throne.  And 
he  spake  unto  the  man  clothed  in  linen,  and  said  :  Go  in  between 
the  wheels  vmder  the  cherub,  and  fill  thy  hand  with  coals  of 
fire  from  between  the  cherubim,  and  scatter  them  over  the  city. 


1.  The  prophet  has  again  presented  to 
his  view  a  manifestation  of  the  glorious 
throne  of  Jehovah,  to  indicate  that, 
whatever  inferior  agents  might  be  em- 
ployed for  the  punishment  of  the  Jews, 
they  were  under  His  supreme  direction. 
See  chap.  i.  26. 

2.  The  nominative  to  ■^^X'"^  is  Jeho- 
vah, understodd.  The  messenger  of 
mercy  is  now  transformed  into  a  mes- 
senger of  judgment.  He  is  commissioned 
to  procure  coals  of  fire  from  the  cheru- 
bim, and  scatter  them  over  the  city  — 
not,  as  some  contend,  for  the  purpose  of 
purifying,  but  as  a  symbol  of  destruction. 
Comp.  Rev.  viii.  5.  The  destructive 
energy  of  the  Babylonian  power  was  to 


be  called  into  fearful  operation.  51135, 
guigtil,  the  name  here  given  to  the  wheels, 
derived  from  ?55j  to  roll,  is,  from  its 
peculiar  form,  expressive  of  their  quick 
circular  motion,  and  thus  differs  from 
'(S''N ,  ophan,  which  merely  conveys  the 
idea  of  their  revolving,  from  ')S5<  ,  to  turn. 
Compare  chapters  xxiii.  24 ;  xxvi.  10. 
2""i3 ,  clterub,  is  ixsed  collectively  for 
n'12^13,  chenihim.  Thus  the  LXX. 
Xipov^ifj..  The  plural  follows  immedi- 
ately after  in  this  and  the  following 
verse. 

3.  That  the  cherubim  here  referred  to 
were  those  which  Ezekiel  had  seen  in 
the  first  vision,  and  not  those  which 
overshadowed  the  mercy-seat,  is  evident 


Chap.  X.  3-13.]  EZEKIEL.  57 

3  And  he  went  in  in  my  sight.  Now  the  cherubim  stood  on  the 
right  side  of  the  house,  when  the  man  weut  in,  and  the  cloud 
filled  the  inner  court. 

4  Then    the   glory  of  Jehovah    went  up  above  the  cherub  at  the 

threshold  of  the  house  ;  and  the  house  was  filled  with  the  cloud, 
and  the  court  was  filled  with  the  brightness  of  Jehovah's  glory. 

5  And  the  sound  of  the  wings  of  the  cherubim  was  heard  even  to 
the  outer  court,  as  the  voice  of  Almighty  God  when  he  speaketh 

G  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  had  commanded  the  man  clothed 
in  linen,  saying :  Take  fire  from  between  the  wheel,  from  be- 
tween  the  cherubim ;    then  he  entered   and  stood  beside  the 

7  wheel.  And  the  cherub  stretched  forth  his  hand  from  between 
the  cherubim  to  the  fire  that  was  between  the  cherubim,  and  he 
took  it  up,  and  put  it  into  the  hands  of  him  that  was  clothed  in 

8  linen,  who  took  it  and  went  out.     And  there  appeared  in  the 

9  cherubim  the  form  of  a  man's  hand  under  their  wings.  I  also 
saw,  and  behold,  four  wheels  beside  the  cherubim,  one  wheel 
beside  one  cherub,  and  one  wheel  beside  another  cherub ;  and 
the  appearance  of  the  wheels  was  as  the  color  of  Tarshish-stone. 

10  And  as  for  their  appearance.s,  they  four  had  one  likeness,  as  it 

11  were  a  wheel  within  a  wheel.  When  they  went,  they  went  upon 
their  four  sides  ;  they  turned  not  when  they  went ;  but  to  the 
place  whither  the  head  looked,  thither  they  followed  it ;  they 

12  turned  not  when  they  went ;  even  their  whole  body,  and  their 
backs,  and  their  hands,  and  their  wings :  and  as  for  the  wheels, 

from  their  being  stationed  on  the  right  symbol   of    the   holy  displeasure    with 

side  of  the  house,  and  not  in  the  holy  which  God  regarded  the  place  where  his 

of  holies,  as  well  as  from  their  having  worship  had  been  performed, 

had  wheels,  which  was  not  the  case  with  5.  The  rustling  made  by  the  wings  of 

the   latter.      That   the   symbol   of    the  the  cherubim  as  they  moved  was  loud, 

Chaldean  power   should  be  thus  repre-  like  thunder,  rcverl)erating  in  the  outer 

sented  as  occupying  a   position  on  the  court  of  the  temple.    All  was  prognostic 

right,  which  was  the  south  side  of  the  of  the  awful  change  which  was  to  take 

temple,    and   not   on   the    north,   from  place  in  Jerusalem, 

which  direction  it  had  come  from  Baby-  6-8.  The  going  in  and  out  has  refer- 

lon,  is  to  be  accounted  for  by  the  circum-  ence,   not   to   the    temple,   but   to    the 

stance  that  by  this  time  it  is  contemplated  cherubic     appearance     here     specified, 

as  having  so  far  done  its  work  by  filling  When  within,  the  messenger  was   en- 

the  temple  with  the  dead  bodies  of  those  closed  by  wheels  on  every  side.     Having 

who  had  been  slain  in  it,  and  was  now  received  the  fire   from  the  hand  of  one 

ready  to  destroy  the  city,  which  lay  to  of  the  living  creatures,  he  immediately 

the  south  and  west.  came  out  to  scatter  it  over  the  city. 

4.  The  X-V  ,c/o«rf,  instead  of  the  ^123,  9-12.  See  on  chap.  i.  16-21. 

gloi-y,  now  filled  the  inner  court  as  a  13.  With    special    reference    to    the 


58  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  X.  13-22. 

they  were  full  of  eyes  round  about ;  to  them  four  were  their 

13  wheels.     To  the  wheels  one  was  crying  in  mine  ears  :  O  wheel. 

14  And  there  were  four  faces  to  each  :  the  face  of  the  one  was  the 
face  of  a  cherub ;  and  the  face  of  the  second  was  the  face  of  a 
man  ;  and  the  third  was  the  face  of  a  lion  ;  and  the  fourth  the 

15  face  of  an  eagle.     And  the  cherubim  were  lifted  up  ;  it  was  the 

16  living  creature  which  I  had  seen  by  the  river  Chebar.  And 
when  the  cherubim  went,  the  wheels  went  beside  them  ;  and 
when  the  cherubim  lifted  up  their  wings  to  mount  up  from  the 

17  earth,  the  same  wheels  also  turned  not  from  beside  them.  "When 
they  stood,  these  stood ;  and  when  they  were  lifted  up,  these 
were  lifted  up  also  ;  for  the  spirit  of  the  living  creature  was  in 

18  them.     And  the  glory  of  Jehovah  went  forth  from  off  the  thresh- 

19  old  of  the  house,  and  stood  above  the  cherubim.  And  the 
cherubim  lifted  up  their  wings,  and  mounted  up  from  the  earth 
in  my  sight,  when  they  went  forth  :  and  the  wheels  were  beside 
them,  and  they  stood  at  the  door  of  the  east  gate  of  the  house 
of  Jehovah ;  and  the  glory  of  the  God  of  Israel  was  over  them 

20  above.  It  was  the  living  creature  which  I  had  seen  under  the 
God  of  Israel  at  the  river  Chebar ;  and  I  knew  that  they  were 

21  cherubim.     To  each  one  were  four  faces,  and  four  wings  to  one, 

22  and  the  form  of  a  man's  hand  under  their  wings.  And  as  to 
the  form  of  their  faces,  they  were  the  faces  which  I  had  seen  by 
the  river  Chebar  :  their  appearances  and  themselves,  they  went 
each  straightforward. 

signification  of  '555 ,  tlie  term  used  in  creatures  at  tlie  Chebar.     His  repeated 

application  to  the  wheels,  ver.  2,  it  is  declaration  to  this  eifect  shows  the  im- 

addressed   to   them   as    possessing    the  portance  that  was  to  be  attached  to  the 

force  of  an  imperative,  roll,  roll,  i.e.  wrth  visions,    and   was  calculated  to    secure 

the  utmost  celerity,  for  the  accomplish-  deeper  attention  to  the  significance  of 

ment  of  the  divine  decree.  the  symbols. 

14.  Compare  chap.  i.  10.     As  to  the         16,  17.  Compare  chap.  i.  21. 

use  of  S^'^Sj   cherub,  here,   instead  of  18,    19.    The   symbol   of   the  divine 

"liUJ ,  hull,  in  the  corresponding  descrip-  presence  now  entirely  departed  from  the 

tion,   we  may   adopt   the  language   of  temple ;    and   the   cherubic  figure  pro- 

Maurer :  ratio  non  est  in  promptu.  cecded  to  execute  the  work  of  destriic- 

15,  20,  22.  Ezekiel  distinctly  recog-  tion  in  the  city. 

nized  this  cherubic  vision   as   identical        21,  22.  Compare  chap  i.  8,  9. 
with  that  which  he  had  of  the  living 


Chap.  XI.  1-3.] 


EZEKIEL. 


59 


CHAPTER  XL 

This  chapter  contains  a  further  vision  of  unbelieving  presumption  before  the  prophet  left 
the  precincts  of  the  desecrated  edifice,  1-3;  the  sin  and  judgment  of  the  scoffers,  4-12; 
the  intercession  of  tlie  prophet,  13 ;  a  prediction  of  the  recovery  of  the  Uebrews  from 
idolatry,  and  the  ultimate  destruction  of  the  incorrigible,  14-21;  and  concludes  with  a 
final  glimpse  of  the  Divine  glory,  the  cessation  of  the  vision,  and  the  return  of  the 
prophet  in  a  trance  to  his  captive  countrymen  in  Chaldea,  to  whom  he  commumcates 
all  the  circumstances  of  the  visions,  22-25. 

1  Moreover  the  Spirit  took  me  up,  and  brought  me  to  the  east 

gate  of  the  house  of  Jehovah,  that  faceth  the  east ;  and  behold, 
in  the  door  of  the  gate  five  and  twenty  men,  and  I  beheld  among 
them  Jaazaniah  the  son  of  Aziir,  and  Pelatiah  the  son  of  Ben- 

2  aiah,  princes  of  the  people.     Then  he  said  unto  me :  Son  of 
man,  these  are  the  men  that  devise  iniquity  and  counsel  wicked- 

3  ness  in  this  city,  that  say  :  It  is  not  near ;  to  the  building  of 


1,  2.  From  the  circumstance  that  the 
number  of  twenty-five  coincides  with 
that  of  the  sun-worsliippers,  chap.  viii. 
IG,  it  has  been  supposed  by  Jarchi, 
Havernick,  and  Fairbairn,  that  the  per- 
sons here  described  were  the  priests, 
whose  idolatrous  conduct  is  there  repro- 
bated, and  that  the  present  vision  is 
designed  to  teach  that  the  sacerdotal 
order,  of  which  they  were  the  represent- 
atives, was  henceforth  to  cease  from 
ministering  in  the  temple,  and  to  suffer 
in  the  general  calamity.  However  nat- 
ural this  interpretation  may  at  first  sight 
appear,  there  is  an  insuperable  objection 
to  it  in  the  designation,  Bi^ti  I'nb , 
princes  of  the  people,  a  designation  no- 
where given  to  the  priests.  When  called 
princes  in  this  acceptation,  it  is  either  in 
the  form  wTp  '^'^/Ci ,  princes  or  rulers 
oj"  the  sanctnnri/,  as  Isa.  xliii.  28,  or  in 
that  of  Dijr^bn  ■'•niy,  princes  of  the 
priests,  as  2  Chron.  xxxvi.  14.  The 
conjecture  of  Fairbairn,  that  they  are 
called  princes  of  the  people  somewhat 
ironically,  because  they  were  their  ring- 
leaders in  wickedness,  is  not  satisfactory. 
I  rather  take  them  to  have  been  the  civil 
officers  elected  by  the  suffrages  of  the 
people,  who  used  their  influence  with 


Zedekiah,  and  persuaded  him  not  to 
submit  to  the  king  of  Babylon,  in  flat 
contradiction  of  the  message  which  Je- 
hovah had  commissioned  Jeremiah  to 
deliver  to  the  king.  See  Jer.  xxxviii.  4. 
They  are  characterized,  ver.  2,  as  "  the 
men  that  devise  mischief,  and  give 
wicked  counsel."  The  prophet  sees 
them  assembled  outside  the  portico,  or 
vestibule,  commonly  called  Solomon's 
porch,  at  the  east  end  of  the  temple,  and 
forming  the  principal  entrance  into  it. 
They  are  doubtless  to  be  contemplated 
as  met  in  counsel  to  devise  the  wicked 
advice  which  they  gave  to  Zedekiah. 

3.  The  force  of  their  wicked  counsel, 
which  here  assumes  a  proverbial  aspect, 
appears  to  be  this  :  "A  long  period  will 
elapse  before  our  city  shall  be  taken  ;  we 
may  therefore  furnish  ourselves  with 
every  accommodation,  and  shall  receive 
no  essential  damage  from  the  enemy,  any 
more  than  the  flesh  that  is  being  boiled 
does  from  the  fire  that  is  burning  around 
the  pot.  Let  the  flames  of  war  burn 
around  us  ;  we  arc  perfectly  secure;  and 
should  matters  at  last  come  to  the  worst, 
it  will  be  time  enough  then  to  think 
about  the  measures  to  be'adoptcd  for  our 

safety."    Q^na  nija  ai^ira  ii? ,  Ge- 


go  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  [Chap.  XI.  3-12. 

4  houses ;   it  is  the  caldron,  and  we  are   the   flesh.     Therefore 

5  prophesy  against  them,  prophesy,  son  of  man.  And  the  Spirit 
of  Jehovah  fell  upon  me,  and  he  said  unto  me :  Speak,  Thus 
saith  Jehovah  ;  Thus  ye  have  spoken,  O  house  of  Israel :  for  as 
for  the  things  that  come  into  your  mind,  I  know  each  one  of 

6  them.     Ye  have  multiplied  your  slain  in  this  city,  and  have  filled 

7  the  streets  thereof  with  slain.  Therefore,  thus  saith  the  Lord 
Jehovah  :  Your  slain  which  ye  have  placed  in  the  midst  thereof, 
they  are  the  flesh,  and  she  is   the   caldron  ;  but  as  for  you,  get 

6  you  out  of  the  midst  of  her.  Of  a  sword  ye  have  been  afraid, 
and  a  sword  I  will  bring  upon  you,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah. 

9  And  I  will  cause  you  to  go  forth  from  the  midst  of  her,  and  will 
deliver  you  into  the  hand  of  strangers,  and  execute  judgments 

10  upon  you.     By  the  sword   ye  shall  fall ;    at  the  boundary  of 
Israel  I  will  judge  you,  and  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah. 

11  It  shall  not  be  to  you  for  a  caldron,  and  ye  shall  not  be  in  the 
midst  of  it  for  flesh  :  at  the  boundary  of  Israel  I  will  judge  you. 

12  And  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah,  in  whose  statutes  ye  have 
not  walked,  and  whose  judgments  ye  have  not  executed,  but  have 

*  acted  according   to   the  judgments  of  the   nations   that  were 

around  you. 

senius  and  Ewald,  after  the  LXX.,  ren-  us  in  a  state  of  captivity  in  Babylon, 

der  interrogatively  :  "  is  it  not  near,  the  and  advises  us  to  prepare  for  a  long  resi- 

building  of  houses  1 "  and  interpi-et  the  dcnce  in  that  land  by  building  houses  for 

words  of  the  rebuilding  of  the  houses  our  accommodation ;  but  we  will  make 

ruined  in  the  seige.     This  construction,  ourselves  comfortable  where  we  are ;  it 

however,  affoi-ds  no  appropriate  sense,  will  be  long  enough  before  such  captivity 

even  were  it  conceded  that  xb  stands  for  be  realized." 

jibn ,  which  Hitzig  considers  to  be  inad-  4.  To   give  emphatic   earnestness  to 

missible.     I  prefer,  therefore,  to  divide  the  command,  i^'^-f]  is  repeated. 

the  sentence,  and  to  take  ^h  as  an  abso-  5.  The  Searcher  of  hearts  asserts  his 

lute  negative.     21^p ,  near,  is  used  of  perfect  knowledge  of  the  secret  machi- 

time  —  the  period  of  destruction  being  nations  of  the  princes, 

understood  as  prominently  in  the  mind  6,7.  They  had  advised  those  measures 

of  the  speakers.     The  objection  of  Man-  which  brought  destruction  upon  the  city 

rer  to  the  rendering  of  CPS  PIJS ,  let  and  its  inhabitants,  who,  in  allusion  to 

us  hulld  houses,  that  it  would  require  the  their  own  figure,  were  to  be  regarded  as 

Infinitive  absolute,  is  grammaticallyjust;  the  flesh  that  had  been  killed  and  was 

but,  if  we  take  the  construct  form  as  ex-  lying  in  the  streets.     As  for  themselves, 

pressing  what  the  minds  of  the  evil  coun-  they  might  escape   destruction   in   the 

sellers  were  intensely  fixed  on  — the  build-  city,  but  they  should  not  escape  punish- 

ing  of  houses,  it  will  be  sutficiently  accu-  ment  from  the  Chaldeans,  who  should 

rate  in  a  proverbial  statement.     There  execute  it  upon  them  at  the  frontier, 

may  be  here  an  implied  reference  to  Jer.  See  ver.  10. 

xxix.  5.    "The  prophet  contemplates  8-12.  An  amplification  of  the  predic- 


Chap.  XI.  13-16.] 


EZEKIEL. 


61 


13  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  I  prophesied,  that  Pelatiah  the  son  of 

Benaiah  died  ;  then  I  fell  upon  my  face  and  cried  with  a  loud  voice 
and  said :  Alas,  O  Lord  Jehovah  !  thou  art  making  an  end  of  the 

14  remnant  of  Israel !     Then  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me, 

15  saying  :  Son  of  man,  thy  brethren,  thy  brethren,  the  men  of  thy 
relationship,  and  the  whole  house  of  Israel,  concerning  whom  the 
inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  are  saying:    keep  at  a  distance  from 

16  Jehovah;  the  land  is  given  to  us  for  an  inheritance.  Never- 
theless speak :  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  :  though  I  have 
removed  them  far  off  among  the  nations,  and  though  I  have 
scattered  them  among  the  countries,  yet  I  will  be  for  a  little  a 

17  sanctuary  to  them  in  the  countries  whither  they  come.     AVhere- 


tion  delivered  in  verses  7  and  8,  accom- 
panied with  a  direct  contradiction  of 
their  ])roverbial  utterance  with  respect 
to  safety.  For  N'^:iin ,  ver.  7,  the  finite 
form  N'^^IX  is  found  in  thirty-nine 
MSS.,  in  two  early  editions,  and  is  so 
translated  in  all  the  ancient  versions; 
but  the  reading  of  the  received  text  ap- 
pears better  to  suit  the  connection.  On 
ver.  12  compare  chap.  v.  6. 

13.  Scarcely  had  the  doom  of  the 
wicked  rulers  been  pronounced,  when 
one  of  them  was  struck  dead  on  the 
spot,  as  an  earnest  that  the  prophecy 
should  assuredly  be  fulfilled.  Regarding 
him  as  a  representative  of  the  people, 
the  prophet  breaks  out  in  a  pathetic 
exclamation,  and  asks  whether  Jehovah 
would  effect  a  complete  extermination 
of  his  people. 

14,  15.  The  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem, 
full  of  arrogant  self  confidence,  despised 
their  brethren  who  had  been  carried  into 
captivity,  and  contemptuously  bade  them 
be  satisfied  with  their  new  abode,  at  a 
distance  from  the  land  of  their  fathers 
and  the  residence  of  their  covenant  God, 
for  they  had  no  longer  any  part  or  lot  in 
the  national  theocracy.  That  establish- 
ment with  all  its  advantages  belonged 
now  exclusively  to  those  who  had  been 
left  in  the  land.  They  alone  were  in 
possession,  and  would  admit  of  no  com- 
petitors. With  those  who  were  thus 
despised,  and  expelled  not  only  by  the 

6 


Chaldeans,  but  by  their  own  fellow-citi- 
zens, Ezckiel  was  to  consider  himself  as 
in  the  closest  alliance.  These,  viewed 
as  recovered  from  idolatory,  he  was  to 
regard  as,  in  a  higher  sense,  his  brethren 
and  near  relatives ;  and  not  those  only 
who  had  been  carried  away  with  him 
under  Jehoiachin,  but  also  the  subjects 
of  the  former  captivity.  ~CTi^  ^"^^.^ 
is  repeated  to  give  force  to  the  relation- 
ship. These  whom  he  was  thus  specially 
to  regard  as  his  brethren,  "i^^^?  "^^t?^.  > 
his  kinsmen,  and  the  whole  house  of  Israel, 
are  in  apposition.  They  were  all  repu- 
diated by  the  proud  Jews  in  Jerusalem. 
It  does  not  appear  that  the  persons  here 
refen-ed  to  were  related  to  Ezekiel  as 
belonging  to  the  priesthood,  but  are  un- 
derstood in  a  Avider  sense  as  his  country- 
men, endeared  to  him  the  more  by  their 
sufferings,  and  their  reformation  in  the 
land  of  captivity.  >^^5<?  primarily  sig- 
nifies blood-relationship,  including  all 
whose  blood,  shed  in  murder,  such  rela- 
tives were  bound  to  avenge,  and  whose 
right  of  inheritance  they  were  bound  to 
vindicate.  The  connection  shows  that 
all  the  fellow-captives  of  the  prophet 
were  to  be  regarded  by  him  as  standing 
in  such  a  near  relationship. 

IG.  Ezckiel  might  well  extend  to  them 
this  regard,  for  though  cast  far  off  among 
the  heathen,  they  were  the  objects  of 
compassionate  regard  on  the  part  of 
Jehovah  himself.     Though  they  had  no 


62 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XI.  16-20. 


fore  say :  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  :  I  will  yet  gather  you 
from  the  peoples  and  assemble  you  from  the  countries  whither  ye 
have  been  scattered,  and  I  will   give  you  the  land  of  Israel. 

18  And  they  shall  come  thither,  and  remove  all  its  detestable  things 

19  and  all  its  abominations.  And  I  will  give  them  one  heart,  and 
will  put  within  you  a  new  spirit,  and  take  away  the  heart  of 

20  stone  out  of  their  flesh,  and  grant  to  them  a  heart  of  flesh :  In 
order  that  they  may  walk  in  my  statutes  and  observe  my  judg- 
ments and  do  them ;  and  they  shall  be  my  people,  and  I  will 


longer  any  access  to  the  sanctnary  at 
Jerusalem,  he  promises  to  be  a  sanctuary 
to  them  in  the  lands  of  their  captivity. 
Although,  imquestionably,  the  term 
lynp^  is  to  be  taken  here,  as  in  Isa.  viii. 
14,  in  the  sense  of  asylum,  and  the  priv- 
ilege of  security  is  promised  in  contrast 
with  the  material  temple  at  Jerusalem, 
in  which  the  inhabitants  trusted,  but 
which,  instead  of  affording  them  any 
protection,  was  itself  to  be  destroyed  by 
the  Chaldeans,  —  the  Jews  were  at  the 
same  time  taught,  that  the  Divine  pres- 
ence was  not  confined  to  any  earthly 
spot,  but  that  in  every  place  true  worship 
would  be  acceptable  to  him.  Having 
free  access  to  their  covenant  God  in  the 
lands  of  their  enemies,  they  should  find 
in  him  an  omnipotent  defence  against  all 
evil.  If  they  had  learned  their  lesson 
well,  they  would  have  been  prepared  to 
welcome  the  new  dispensation,  the  priv- 
ileges of  which  were  not  to  be  restricted 
to  their  nation  and  country  alone,  but  to 
be  extended  to  all  spiritual  worshippers 
throughout  the  world.  Mai.  i.  11 ;  John 
iv.  21-24.  It  was,  however,  a  lesson 
hard  for  a  Jew  to  learn ;  and  it  required 
a  second  destruction  of  the  material 
temple,  by  the  Romans,  to  wean  them  in 
any  degree  from  their  restricted  and  nar- 
row conceptions.  B?'?  is  here  an  Ad- 
verb^Qf_time,  signifying  a  little  while,  for 
ajitth,  or  the  like.  To  express  the  idea 
of  little,  in  the  sense  of  small,  the  adjec- 
tive Ti^i^  would  have  been  required,  but 
it  would  ill  have  suited  the  connection. 
How  long  soever  the  captivity  might 
appear,  they  should  experience  it  to  be 


short,  in  the  enjoyment  of  such  a  privi- 
lege as  having  Jehovah  for  their  Pro- 
tector and  Friend. 

17,  18.  Though  exiled  in  punishment 
of  their  national  sins,  the  Jews  were 
assuredly  to  be  restored  to  their  own 
land,  when  they  should  remove  thence 
every  vestige  of  idol-worship  and  serve 
Jehovah  alone.  Their  absence  was  only 
to  be  temporary. 

19,  20.  To  prepare  them  for  such  a 
result,  Jehovah  promises  to  produce  in 
them  a  spirit  of  devoted  piety.  Their 
heart  was  no  longer  to  be  divided  between 
Jehovah  and  false  gods,  but  was  to  be 
solely  devoted  to  his  service.  *inx  -3?  , 
one  heart.  Compare  the  parallel  promise, 
Jer.  xxxii.  .39.  Hitzig  lamely  endeavors 
to  defend  the  reading  "iHX  33 ,  another 
heart,\\\\ich.  is  countenanced  by  the  LXX. 
but  is  found  in  no  Hebrew  MS.  This 
"  one  heart "  is  that  of  flesh  —  tender, 
sensitive,  and  easily  impressible  by 
Divine  truth,  which  is  promised  in  the 
latter  part  of  the  verse  :  in  contrast  with 
that  of  stone,  under  the  influence  of 
which  the  Jews  had  obstinately  resisted 
all  the  expostixlations  of  the  prophets, 
and  stubbornh^  persevered  in  idolatrous 
practices,  without  feeling  any  compunc- 
tious relcntings,  or  any  desire  to  return 
to  the  service  of  Jehovah.  Such  a  heart 
might  well  be  called  •^'^'^'H  '^'"'  j  «  new 
spirit,  i.e.  a  new  disposition,  inclining  its 
possessor  to  hate  the  sinful  abominations 
in  which  he  had  formerly  indulged,  and 
to  find  delight  in  the  right  ways  of  the 
Lord.  Compare  Ps.  li.  10.  This  change 
in  all  its  completeness,  involves  the  kaiv)} 


Chap.  XI.  20-25.] 


EZEKIEL. 


63 


21  be  their  God.  But  as  for  those  whose  heart  goeth  after  the 
heart  of  their  detestable  things  and  their  abominations,  I  will 

22  bring  their  way  upon  their  head,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah.  And 
the  cherubim  lifted  up  their  wings,  and  the  Avheels  along  with 
them  ;  and  the  glory  of  the  God  of  Israel  was  over  them  above. 

23  And  the  glory  of  Jehovah  ascended  out  of  the  midst  of  the  city, 
and  stood  upon  the  mountain  which  was  to  the  east  of  the  city. 

24  Then  the  Spirit  bore  me  up  and  brought  me  to  Chaldea  to  the 
captives,  in  a  vision  through  the  Spirit  of  God ;  and  the  vision 

25  which  I  had  seen  went  up  from  me.  And  I  told  the  captives  all 
the  things  of  Jehovah,  which  he  had  showed  me. 


KTiffts  of  the  New  Testament,  a  renova- 
tion of  the  entire  inner  man,  2  Cor.  v. 
17.  "Whether  a  change  so  radical  and 
thorough-going  was  realized  in  the  ex- 
perience of  the  great  body  of  the  Jews 
before  their  return  from  Babylon,  may 
fairly  be  questioned  ;  but  that  they  ex- 
perienced more  or  less  of  its  subordinate 
stages,  sufficiently  powerful  to  induce 
them  to  abandon  the  worship  of  idols, 
and  addict  themselves  exclusively  to  that 
of  Jehovah,  the  exigency  of  the  present 
passage  in  our  prophet  clearly  demands. 
And  this  was  sufficient  to  restore  them 
to  their  outward  relation  as  a  people  to 
God,  while  there  was,  as  there  has  been 
in  every  age,  "  a  remnant  according  to 
the  election  of  grace,"  Avho  realized  the 
change  in  all  its  fulness.  The  passage 
unquestionably  traces  all  that  is  good  in 
man  to  Divine  influence,  to  whatever  ex- 
tent or  for  whatever  purpose  that  good 
is  effi^cted. 

21.  A  threatening  denounced  against 
the  impenitent  and  incorrigible. 


22,  23.  The  Shechinah,  which  had 
moved  from  within  the  temple  and  taken 
its  station  at  the  east  gate,  chap.  x.  4, 19, 
now  removed  to  the  Mount  of  Olives, 
as  it  were  lingering  and  unwilling  to 
abandon  the  devoted  city,  a  command- 
ing view  of  Avhich  was  aiforded  by  that 
elevation.     Compare  Zcch.  xiv.  4. 

24,  25.  Here  closes  the  description  of 
these  wonderful  visions.  The  prophet 
is  conducted  back  to  the  Chebar  in  the 
same  manner  in  which  he  had  been  con- 
veyed to  Jerusalem.  No  change  had 
taken  place  in  his  relation  to  the  out- 
ward world ;  but,  while  sitting  quietly 
in  his  house,  chap.  viii.  1,  his  inner  eye 
was  supernaturally  opened  to  behold  the 
things  contained  in  the  intermediate 
chapters.  He  now  communicated  for 
the  benefit  of  his  fellow-captives  what 
had  been  revealed  to  him.  How  calcu- 
lated was  the  record  to  fill  their  minds 
with  adoring  views  of  the  Divine  Maj- 
esty, and  an  utter  abhoiTence  of  every 
form  of  idolatry ! 


64  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  Xn.  1-7. 


CHAPTER  xn. 

still  more  to  affect  the  minds  of  his  countrymen  on  the  banks  of  the  Chebar,  and  through 
them  all  in  Judea  with  whom  they  might  be  in  communication,  Ezekiel  is,  in  this  chap- 
ter, ordered  to  exhibit  himself  as  a  symbolical  representation  of  persons  going  into 
captivity. 

After  a  description  of  the  obstinate  rebelliousness  of  the  Jewish  people,  1,  2,  he  typically 
predicts  the  approaching  total  captivity  of  the  inhabitants  of  Judea,  3-7;  then  plainly 
foretells  the  flight,  capture,  and  sufferings  of  Zedekiah  and  his  adherents,  8-lG ;  portrays 
the  consternation  and  desolation  of  his  countrymen,  17-20;  and  concludes  with  an  ex- 
posure and  refutation  of  the  objections  to  his  predictions  by  unbelieving  scoffers,  21-28. 

1  And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying :    Son  of  man, 

2  thou  dwellest  in  the  midst  of  the  rebellious  house,  who  have 
eyes  to  see,  but  see  not ;  they  have  ears  to  hear,  but  hear  not ; 

3  for  they  are  a  rebellious  house.  Thou,  therefore,  O  Son  of  man, 
prepare  thee  articles  for  removal,  and  remove  by  day  in  their 
sight ;  yea,  remove  from  thy  place  to  another  place  in  their 
sight ;  perhaps  they  may  consider,  though  they  are  a  rebellious 

4  house.  And  carry  forth  thy  stuff  by  day  in  their  sight,  as  stuff 
for  removal ;  and  thou  shalt  go  forth  in  the  evening  as  captives 

5  go  forth.     Dig  thee  a  hole  in  the  wall  in  their  sight,  and  go  out 

6  through  it.  In  their  sight  thou  shalt  carry  it  on  thy  shoulder  in 
the  dark :  thou  shalt  carry  it  forth :  thou  shalt  cover  thy  face, 
and  shalt  not  see  the  ground ;  for  I  have  made  thee  a  sign  to 

7  the  house  of  Israel.  And  I  did  as  I  was  commanded :  my  stuff 
I  took  out  as  stuff  of  captives  by  day,  and  in  the  evening  I  dug 
me  a  hole  in  the  wall  with  the  hand :  in  the  dark  I  conveyed  it 

1,2.  The  period  to  which  this  chap-  future,  so  that  their  rebellioiis  disposition 

ter  belongs  being  only  the  sixth  year  of  was  without  excuse.  Ezekiel  was  to  class 

the  captivity  on  tlie  banks  of  the  Chebar,  together  all  such,  both  in   and   out  of 

the  change  of  circumstances  had  only  Judea,  and  viewing  himself  as  in  the 

had  time  to  operate  partially  on  those  midst  of  them,  to  discharge  his  prophetic 

who  composed  it.     Too  many  of  them  office.  For  "'^.^  n''3 ,  compare  chaps,  ii. 

sympathized  with   the  refractory  spirit  5,  6  ;  iii.  21 ;  and  for  "^I'S!!  n^S ,  chap, 

of  their  brethren  in  Jerusalem  ;  and  like  ii.  8. 

them,  indulging  the  hope  that  the  city  3-7.  The  simple  announcements  of  the 

would  not  be  taken,  and  that  they  would  prophet  having   proved   ineffectual,  he 

speedily  be  restored  to  their  owti  land,  was  commanded  symbolically  to  furnish 

they  rejected   the   prophetic  messages,  his  countrymen  with  an  ocular  demon- 

Thcy  were  naturally  qualified,  by  the  stration  of  the  removal  of  those  who  had 

faculties  with  which  God  had  endowed  been  left  behind  in  Judea,  in  order,  if 

them,  to  form  a  judgment  from  the  begun  possible,  to  lead  them  to  reflection.     He 

accomplishment  of  the  Divine  predic-  was  to  furnish  himself  with  rtii   "^?3 » 

tions  in  their  own  experience,  respect-  articles  for  exile,  such  as  persons  in  the 

ing  their  further  accomplishment  in  the  East  select  when  migrating  fi'om  one 


Chap.  XII.  7-12.] 


EZEKIEL. 


6^ 


10 


11 


12 


forth  :  I  bore  it  on  my  shoulder  in  their  sight.  And  the  word 
of  Jehovah  came  to  me  in  the  morning,  saying :  Son  of  man,  do 
not  the  house  of  Israel,  the  rebellious  house,  say  to  thee :  What 
art  thou  doing  ?  Say  unto  them  :  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  : 
This  oracle  is  the  prince  in  Jerusalem,  and  all  the  house  of 
Israel  who  are  in  the  midst  of  them.  Say :  I  am  your  sign  ;  as 
I  have  done,  so  shall  it  be  done  to  them  ;  they  shall  go  into 
exile,  into  captivity.  And  the  prince  who  is  in  the  midst  of 
them  shall  carry  on  his  shoulder  in  the  dark,  and  shall  go  forth ; 
they  shall  dig  a  hole  in  the  wall  to  remove  out  through  it ;  he 
shall  cover  his  face,  so  that  he  shall  not  see  the  country  with  his 


country  to  another,  as  a  staff,  victuals, 
water,  cooking-utensils,  clothing,  cover- 
lets, etc.  There  is  no  contradiction  be- 
tween the  injunctions  here  laid  upon 
Ezekiel ;  first,  that  the  transactions  should 
take  place  by  day,  and  then  that  they 
should  be  effected  by  night.  Respect  is 
had  to  the  preparation  which  he  was  to 
make  for  departure,  by  collecting  the 
articles  together  by  day,  and  then  to 
his  actual  departure  by  night.  "^XlSliaS 
nils ,  as  the  outgoings  of  captives  — 
nbia ,  the  absolute  singular,  being  used 
for  the  concrete  in  the  plural.  I  cannot 
agree  with  Havernick  and  Fairbairn, 
that  KS"il3  denotes  the  time  of  going 
forth.  I  do  not  find  it  thus  used  any- 
where in  the  Hebrew  Bible.  The  pas- 
sages Dan.  ix.  25  and  Micah  v.  1,  to 
which  Havernick  appeals,  give  no  coun- 
tenance to  such  construction.  In  both 
places  the  act,  not  the  time,  of  going  forth, 
is  expressed.  The  term  ■'^^^2'  occurs 
only  in  verses  6,  7,  12,  and  Gen.  xv.  17  ; 
but  there  is  not  a  doubt  that  it  denotes 

darkness.   Arab,    t^  1  ^  ,  ci'asstis  est :  by 

transposition  ^}»*Lo-fc  5  nubibus  obduc- 
tum  fiiit  calum.  The  prophet  was  to 
make  his  exit  in  the  darkness  of  the 
night,  with  his  face  mufiled,  so  that  he 
should  not  see  the  country  through 
which,  or  into  which,  he  was  passing. 

8-12.  The  actions  of  the  prophet  are 
supposed  to  have  been  productive  of 
effect ;  they  had  excited  attention  011  the 
6* 


part  of  his  fellow-captives.  The  typical 
representation  of  Ezekiel  had  a  special 
reference  to  king  Zcdekiah.  In  the 
paronomasia  N\^53ln  X'^tasn ,  this  is 
tersely  expressed.  The  oracular  saying 
had  the  monarch  and  his  idolatrous  sub- 
jects for  its  theme.  "  This  is  "  for  "  this 
betokens,"  as  Matt.  xxvi.  26.  Though 
the  king  is  not  named,  there  could  be  no 
mistake  as  to  who  was  meant.  For  the 
literal  fulfilment  of  the  prediction,  see 
2  Kings  XXV.  1-7  ;  Jcr.  Hi.  1-11.  The 
eyes  of  that  monarch  having  been  put 
out  by  the  king  of  Babylon,  he  was  de- 
prived of  the  power  of  seeing  the  land 
whither  lie  was  carried  into  captivity. 
rSI^ ,  LXX.  repas,  a  sign,  wonder, 
■portent,  prodigy,  an  object  foretokening 
good  or  ill.  Compare  chap.  xxiv.  27  ; 
Zech.  iii.  8.  Such  Ezekiel  was  consti- 
tuted, in  the  latter  acceptation ;  and  it 
was  impossible  seriously  to  contemplate 
his  instructive  conduct  without  forebod- 
ing the  calamity  to  which  it  pointed. 
According  to  a  tradition  in  Josephus, 
Antiq.  lib.  x.  c.  7,  the  prophet  sent  a 
copy  of  his  prediction  to  Zcdekiah,  who, 
imagining  that  he  found  a  contradiction 
in  this  prophecy  of  Ezekiel  to  that  of 
Jeremiah  (xxiv.  8),  resolved  to  believe 
neither ;  but  what  truth  there  may  be 
in  it  must  be  left  undetermined.  I  see 
no  sufHcicnt  reason  to  induce  the  con- 
clusion that  what  is  here  recorded  was 
done  in  vision,  and  not  in  real  life. 
Disax,  ver.  14,  corresponds  to  C';S;3, 


%Q  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  XII.  12-22. 

13  eyes.  And  I  will  spread  my  net  over  him,  and  he  shall  be 
taken  in  my  snare,  and  I  will  bring  him  unto  Babylon,  the  land 
of  the  Chaldeans,  yet  he  shall  not  see  it ;  but  he  shall  die  there. 

14  And  all  his  auxiliaries  that  are  around  him,  and  the  wings  of 
his  army  I  will  scatter   to  every  wind ;    and  will  di'aw  out  a 

15  sword  after  them.  And  they  shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah, 
when  I  scatter  them  among  the  nations  and  disperse  them  among 

16  the  countries.  Yet  I  will  leave  of  them  those  who  shall  be  few 
in  number,  from  the  sword,  from  famine,  and  from  pestilence,  in 
order  that  they  may  declare  all  their  abominations  among  the 
nations  whither  they  shall  come ;  and  they  shall  know  that  I 
am  Jehovah. 

17  And  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  unto  me,  saying :  Son  of  man,  thou 

18  shalt  eat  thy  bread  with  trembling  and  drink  thy  water  with 

19  trepidation  and  solicitude.  And  thou  shalt  say  to  the  people  of 
the  land :  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  to  the  inhabitants  of 
Jerusalem,  to  the  land  of  Israel :  They  shall  eat  their  bread  with 
solicitude ;  and  drink  their  water  with  astonishment,  that  her 
land  may  be  despoiled  of  its  fulness  by  reason  of  the  violence  of 

20  all  who  dwell  in  it.  And  the  cities  that  are  inhabited  shall  be 
laid  waste,  and  the  land  become  a  desolation  ;  and  ye  shall  know 
that  I  am  Jehovah. 

21  And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying:  Son  of  man, 

22  what  proverb  is  this  of  yours  respecting  the  land  of  Israel,  say- 

23  ing  :  The  days  are  prolonged  and  every  vision  faileth  ?  There- 
fore say  unto  them :  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  I  will  make 
this  proverb  to  cease,  and  they  shall  no  more  use  it  as  a  jiroverb 
in  Israel ;  but  say  to  them  :  The  days  draw  near,  and  the  matter 

Isa.  viii.  8,  and  denotes  the  wings  of  an  the  impression  of  the  miserable  results 

army,  for   the   army  itself.      Compare  of  the  Chaldean  invasion,  Ezekiel  was  to 

chap,  xxxviii.  6.  partake  of  his  nourishment  with  signs  of 

16.  The  scattering  of  the  Jews  among  anxiety  and  trepidation.  He  thus  served 

the  heathen  was  intended,  not  merely  to  anew  as  a  sign  to  the  people. 
cure  themselves  of  their   propensity  to         22.    The  infidel   objection   contained 

idolatry,  but  also  to  afford  them  oppor-  in  the  end  of  this  verse,  had  assumed  the 

tunities   of   bearing   testimony  against  form  of  ''^'O ,  a  proverbial  sayinej  in  the 

that  evil  as  practised  by  those  among  mouth  of  the  rebellious  Jews.     It  was 

whom  they  lived.     Compare  Zech.  viii.  bandied  about  from  one  to  another,  the 

13;  Isa.  xliii.  8-13.     They  would  trace  contagion  spreading  as  it  circulated,  to 

all  the  evils  that  had  come  upon  them  to  the  distress  of  the  minds  of  the  pious, 

their  true   source  —  the   adoption   and  while   the  ungodly  were  confirmed   in 

practice  of  abominable  idolatries.  their  unbelief  of  the  Divine  messages. 

17-20.  With  the  view  of  deepening  As  day  after  day  passed  by,  the  scoffers 


Chap.  Xm.  1-2.]  EZEKIEL.  67 

24  of  every  vision.     For  there  shall  no  more  be  any  vain  vision  or 

25  smooth  divination  in  the  midst  of  the  children  of  Israel.  For  I, 
Jehovah,  will  speak  the  word  which  I  shall  speak,  and  it  shall  be 
performed :  it  shall  not  be  deferred ;  for  in  your  days  O  rebel- 
lious house,  I  will  speak  a  Avord  and  perform  it,  saith  the  Lord 

2G       Jehovah.     And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying: 

27  Son  of  man,  behold  the  house  of  Israel  are  saying :  The  vision 
which  he  seeth  is  for  many  days,  and  he  prophesieth  for  distant 

28  times  ;  Therefore  say  unto  them  :  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah : 
None  of  my  words  shall  any  longer  be  deferred ;  when  I  speak 
a  word,  it  shall  be  performed,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah. 

argued  that  the  things  seen  in  prophetic  own  land.      Instead  of   5^?'^ii''^    I^"*? , 

visions  would  never  be  realized.     Com-  house  of  Israel,  we  have   SSTi^"^  "^IJa , 

pare  2  Pet.  iii.  3,  4.     Thus  it  hath  been  children  of  Israel,  in  eleven  codices,  one 

in  every  age,  and  in  none  more  than  the  in  the  margin  and  one  at  first  hand ; 

present.  the  edition  of  Manasseh  ben  Israel,  Am- 

24.  There  is  here  a  reference  to  the  stcrdam,  1630  ;  with  the  Venetian  edi- 

false  prophets  against  whom  Ezekiel  is  tions  and  all  the  versions, 

specially  commissioned  to   prophesy  in  26-28.  A  repetition,  for  the  sake  of 

the  following  chapter.  COjr'Ta  ,  divination,  effect,  of  the   matter  contained  in   the 

from  COJ^ ,   to   practice   divination   by  preceding  verse.     Those  to  whom   the 

dividing  by  lot.     The  terms  arc  used  of  prophet  was  to  address  himself  were  to 

false  prophets,  both  among  the  heathen  be  assured  that  the  calamity,  however 

and  the   Hebrews.      Those   whom   tiie  apparently  delayed,    should    most  cer- 

prophet  specially  had  in  his  eye  were  tainly  be  speedily  inflicted.     Jerusalem 

such  as  flattered  his  fellow-captives  with  was   taken  within   five  years  after  the 

the  vain  hope  of  a  speedy  return  to  their  prophecy  was  delivered. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

Ezekiel  is  instructed  specially  to  denounce  the  false  prophets  whom  he  had  introduced  to 
view  towards  the  close  of  the  preceding  chapter,  1,2;  he  describes  their  character, 
3-9;  points  out  the  futility  of  their  pretended  vaticinations,  and  the  destruction  in 
which  they  would  involve  both  themselves  and  the  people,  10-16;  he  then  denounces 
false  prophetesses,  who  in  like  manner  deceived  the  people,  17-23. 

1  And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying :   Son  of  man, 

2  prophesy  against  the  prophets  of  Israel  that  prophesy ;  and  say 
thou  to  those  who  prophesy  out  of  their  own  heart :  Hear  ye 

2.  The  designation  N''33 ,  prophet,  is  reference  to  the  latter,  there  is  always, 
applied  in  Scripture  both  to  the  true  and  as  in  the  present  verse,  something  added, 
the  pretended  prophets.     When  used  in    which  sufficiently  marks  the  futility  of 


68 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XHI.  3-9. 


3  the  word  of  Jehovah.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  :  "Woe  to 
the  foolish  prophets  who  are  following  their  own  spirit,  and  have 

4  seen  notliing.     Thy  projjhets,  O  Israel,  are  like  foxes  in  des- 

5  olated  places.  Ye  have  not  gone  up  into  the  breaches,  nor  have 
ye  built  a  wall  about  the  children  of  Israel  to  stand  in  the  battle 

6  in  the  day  of  Jehovah.  They  have  seen  vanity  and  lying  div- 
ination who  say,  "  The  oracle  of  Jehovah, "  though  Jehovah  hath 
not  sent  them ;  yet  they  have  made  men  to  hope  that  they  would 

7  confirm  the  word.  Is  it  not  a  vain  vision  which  ye  have  seen, 
and  a  lying  divination  ye  have  spoken  ?     Yet   ye  are  saying, 

8  "  The  oracle  of  Jehovah,"  though  I  have  not  spoken.  "VYlierefore 
thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Because  ye  have  spoken  vanity, 
and  have  seen  lies,  therefore,  behold  I  am  against  you,  is  the 

9  oracle  of  the  Lord  Jehovah.  And  my  hand  shall  be  against  the 
prophets  who  see  vanity  and  divine  lies  ;  they  shall  not  be  in  the 
assembly  of  my  people,  and  in  the  register  of  the  house  of  Israel 
they  shall  not  be  registered ;  neither  shall  they  enter  the  land 
of  Israel :    and   ye   shall   know   that  I  am  the  Lord  Jehovah. 


their  claims.  "Uliile  the  genuine  mes- 
sengers of  Jehovah  had  unmislakingly 
their  subjects  communicated  to  them 
from  without,  and  spoke  as  they  were 
moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost  (2  Pet.  i.  21 ), 
the  false  prophets  merely  gave  utterance 
to  what  had  originated  in  their  own 
minds. 

8.  The  vaticinations  of  these  hollow 
pretenders  had  no  higher  origin  than 
Dn^"i ,  their  own  corrupt  disposition  : 
'  the  wish  was  father  to  the  thought.' 
Their  visions  were  purely  imaginary. 

4.  The  pretended  prophets  are  com- 
pared to  foxes ;  not,  as  Bochart  and 
some  others  interpret,  because  of  their 
burrowing  and  undermining  the  walls 
of  vineyards,  but  because  of  their  crafty 
and  voracious  disposition.  The  animal 
had  long  been  proverbial  for  these  qual- 
ities. Nor  could  any  creature  more  aptly 
symbolize  those  insiduous  and  greedy 
upstarts  who  deceived  the  Jewish  people. 
They  appear,  from  the  prophecies  of 
Jeremiah,  to  have  abounded  at  the  time 
both  in  Judea  and  among  the  exiles. 
See  chaps,  xxvii.  9, 10 ;  xxviii.  1 ;  xxix. 
8,  9,  15-32. 


5-7.  Instead  of  giving  such  counsel 
as  might  have  tended  to  promote  the  true 
interests  of  the  theocracy,  and  undo  the 
mischief  which  had  already  overtaken 
it,  they  flattered  the  people  with  false 
hopes  of  security  in  Jerusalem.  Un- 
authorized by  Jehovah,  they  had  had 
the  temerity  to  utter  falshoods  in  his 
name.  ^^'!!'?  >  t^fy  have  made  others  to 
hope.  This  verb  is  not  used  in  Kal,  but 
in  Piel,  with  a  transitive  and  causative 
signification,  as  in  Hiphil. 

9.  As  a  just  judgment  upon  them  for 
their  presumption,  they  are  threatened, 
not  only  with  exclusion  from  all  hope  of 
ever  occupying  an  honorable  position  in 
the  government  of  the  nation,  but  of 
having  an  existence  under  it  as  citizens. 
They  should  not  even  be  ever  after  per- 
mitted to  enter  the  land  of  their  fathers. 
110,  a,  council  of  judges  and  others,  as- 
sembled to  consult  on  the  national  affairs. 
2r;? ,  a  register,  in  whicli  the  names  of 
the  citizens  were  inscribed,  and  whicli 
was  annually  revised,  when  those  who 
had  died  during  the  year  had  their  names 
erased.  Michaelis  thinks  the  reference  is 
rather  to  the  genealogies ;  and  that  the 


Chap.  XIII.  9-17.] 


EZEKIEL. 


69 


10  Because,  even  because  tliey  have  seduced  my  people  saying, 
"  Peace,"  and   there  is  no  peace,  and  one  buildeth  up  a  wall  and 

11  otiiers  plaster  it  with  falsehood:  Say  to  them  that  plaster  with 
falsehood :  It  shall  fall :  there  shall  be  a  pouring  rain  and  ye,  O 

12  great  hailstones,  shall  fall,  and  a  storm-wind  shall  rend  it.  And 
behold,  the  wall  shall  fall.     Shall  it  not  be  said  unto  you,  Where 

13  is  the  plaster  with  which  j^e  have  plastered  it  ?  Wherefore, 
thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  :  I  will  even  rend  it  with  a  storm- 
wind  in  my  fury,  and  there    shall   be  a  pouring  rain  in  mine 

14  anger,  and  great  hailstones  in  wrath  to  consume  it.  And  I  will 
break  down  the  wall  which  ye  have  plastered  with  falsehood, 
and  I  will  bring  it  down  to  the  ground,  and  its  foundation  shall 
be  laid  bare,  and  it  shall  fall,  and  ye  shall  perish  in  the  midst  of 

15  it ;  and  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah.  And  I  will  spend 
my  wrath  upon  the  wall,  and  upon  them  that  have  plastered  it 
with  falsehood,  and  will  say  unto  you  :  The  wall  is  no  more,  and 

16  they  that  plastered  it  are  no  more,  —  the  prophets  of  Israel,  who 
prophesy  to  Jerusalem,  and  who  see  for  her  a  vision  of  peace, 


threatening  implies,  that  the  persons 
against  whom  it  is  denounced,  should 
have  no  descendants. 

10.  ">^3''  '""^  emphatically :  because, 
even  lecnuse.  The  pronoun  tt;in  is  to  be 
taken  collectively  of  the  class  of  persons 
spoken  of  in  the  immediately  preceding 
context,  and  not  without  some  tinge  of 
contempt.  Compare  2  Chron.  xxviii.  22. 
Agreeably  to  this  the  pronominal  suffix  in 
CSn  is  to  be  similarly  regarded  as  desig- 
nating others  of  the  false  prophets.  They 
were  not  satisfied  with  individual  effort, 
but  co-operatod  in  their  endeavors  to 
delude  the  people.  Alas !  how  much  of 
this  has  been  reidized  in  the  professing 
church  of  Christ,  as  well  as  in  the  an- 
cient church  of  Israel.  While  one  party 
was  busily  engaged  in  building  a  wall, 
another  was  as  busily  occupied  in  whit- 
ening it  with  whitewash,  in  order  to  give 
it  a  i^leasing  and  imposing  appearance. 
Compare  Matt,  xxiii.  29  ;  Acts  xxiii.  3. 
''?1?5  lime,  plaster,  or  ivhiteioash ;  H'ltJ  , 
to  cover  over  with  such  material. 

1 1-16.  The  wall,  with  its  builders  and 
plasterers,  should  be  involved  in  one  un- 


distingulshable  mass  of  destruction.  A 
severe  hailstorm  is  one  of  the  severest 
calamities  with  wliich  Palestine  is  visited, 
and  is  employed  figuratively  to  denote 
severe  judgments  Isa.  xxviii.  2  ;  xxx.30; 
Kcv.  xvi.  21.     ^"insbx  is  properly  the 

Arab.     iji*A^\j| ,  retaining  the  form 

of  the  Article :  LXX.  xiQovs  impo^oXovs. 
T\^'~'J'0  Xyr\ ,  llt.  a  \vind  of  storms,  a  vio- 
lent, tempestuous  wind,  which  bears 
down  all  before  it.  VjuJUJ  D'^'5  ,  a  poiir- 
incj,  {inindalinr/  rain  is  equally  destructive 
to  buildings.  While  the  hailstones  break 
in  pieces  what  they  come  in  contact  with, 
the  rain,  suddenly  collected  in  rushing 
masses,  washes  away  the  foundations, 
and  occasions  the  fall  of  the  buildings. 
Tlicre  is  a  singular  force  in  personifying 
the  hailstones,  considering  that  some- 
times they  fall  in  size  larger  than  an 
inch,  and  with  a  velocity  of  seventy  feet 
a  second,  or  about  fifty  miles  an  hour, 
acquiring  by  this  means  a  momentum 
which  renders  them  a^vfully  destructive. 
Compare  Job  xxxviii.  22,  23. 
17.    Ezekiel  is  now  commanded  to 


70 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  Xm.  17-20. 


17  and  there  is  no  peace,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah.  Likewise,  thou 
son  of  man,  set  thy  face  against  the  daughters  of  thy  people 
who  prophesy  out  of  their  own  heart;   and  prophesy  against 

18  them,  and  say :  Thus  saitli  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Woe  to  the 
women  that  sew  pillows  for  all  elbows,  and  make  cushions  for 
the  head  of  every  stature,  to  lie  in  wait  eagerly  for  souls  :  Will 
ye  lie  in  wait  eagerly  for  the  souls  of  my  people  ?  and  will  ye 

19  save  alive  the  souls  that  come  unto  you  ?  And  will  ye  pollute 
me  among  my  people  for  handfuls  of  barley,  and  morsels  of 
bread,  to  put  to  death  the  souls  that  should  not  die,  and  to  pre- 
serve the  souls  that  should  not  live,  by  your  lying  to  my  people 

20  who  hear  lies  ?  Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Behold, 
I  am  against  your  cushions  with  which  ye  there  eagerly  lie  in 
wait  for  the  souls  to  make  them  fly,  and  I  will  tear  them  from 
off  your  arms,  and  will  set  free  the  souls  for  which  ye  eagerly 


direct  his  oracular  denunciation  against 
the  false  prophetesses,  who  lent  their  aid 
in  helping  forward  the  delusions  of  the 
people.  True  female  prophetesses  were 
more  rare  among  the  Hebrews.  The 
only  instances  in  which  they  occur  in  the 
history  of  that  people,  are  those  of  Mir- 
iam, Deborah,  and  Huldah.  So  impu- 
dent were  these  female  pretenders  to  in- 
spiration, that  Ezekiel  was  required  to 
put  on  a  stern  countenance  ('I'^iiS  D^^')» 
while  he  denounced  the  pernicious  in- 
fluence which  they  exerted  over  the 
people. 

18.  Pir&3  occurs  only  here  and  ver. 
20,  but  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  it  sig- 
nifies pillows,  or  cushions,  covered  with 
ornamental  work,  from  "^03  >  to  cover. 
That  these  are  intended,  and  not  cover- 
lets, a]ii)ears  from  their  being  connected 
with  C^l^  "^S"^^^  >  arm-joints,  or  elbows. 
These,  indeed,  Gesenius  interprets  to 
mean  knuckles  ;  but  their  being  referred 
to  the  ryi^T ,  ai-ms,  ver.  20,  favors  the 
opinion  that  joints  higher  up  the  arms 
arc  meant.  The  LXX.  supposing  bol- 
sters for  the  head  to  be  intended,  render 
irpo<rKf(pdKaia :  Vulg.  pidvillos.  '^'y^  is 
used  by  syncope  for  0^"!!^'  '^"•l  syncc- 
dochically  for  Pyint ,  mnspp ,  LXX. 
eiriP6\aia,   I   take  to  mean  coverlets  or 


qxdlts,  from  HSO ,  to  spread,  which, 
equally  \vith  cushions,  form  an  essential 
part  of  oriental  luxury.  These  were 
made  to  suit  the  f^^lp  j  height  or  size  of 
the  different  persons  who  were  to  use 
them.  LXX.  'HAiki'o.  The  females  in 
question  not  only  employed  flattering 
words  to  decoy  the  souls  of  the  unwary, 
but,  by  their  seductive  speeches,  lulled 
them  as  effectually  as  if  they  had  literally 
prcjjared  articles  of  luxury  for  their 
bodily  repose.     T^iS  ,  the  Pilpel  of  1'S  > 

Arab.   <^Lo  ,  to  hint,  catch,  lay  snares 

for  taking  wild  animals.  This  conjuga- 
tion, being  reduplicate  in  form,  is  ex- 
pressive of  intensity,  and  thus  indicates 
the  eager  and  untiring  efforts  which  the 
fi\lse  prophetesses  employed  in  endeavor- 
ing to  effect  their  purpose.  So  far  should 
they  be  from  preserving  those  who  list- 
ened to  them,  that  they  should  be  in- 
strumental in  bringing  about  their  des- 
truction. 

19.  The  sordid,  self-interested  charac- 
tcrof  these  prophetesses  is  here  distinctly 
set  forth  —  a  character  by  which  fixlse 
teachers  in  every  age  have  been  distin- 
guished. 

20.  rin"iSP ,  to  cause  to  fly,  is  bor- 
rowed from  the  practice  of  fowlers,  who 


Chap.  XIV.  1-3.] 


EZEKIEL. 


71 


21 


22 


23 


lie  in  wait,  the  souls  to  make  them  fly.  And  I  will  tear  your 
cushions  and  rescue  my  people  from  your  hand,  and  they  shall 
no  more  be  in  your  hand  for  a  prey ;  and  ye  shall  know  that  I 
am  Jehovah.  Because  with  falsehood  ye  have  made  sad  the 
heart  of  the  righteous,  which  I  have  not  made  sad,  and  strength- 
ened the  hands  of  the  wicked,  that  he  should  not  turn  from  his 
wicked  way  to  be  preserved  alive :  Therefore  ye  shall  not  see 
vanity  nor  divine  divination  any  more ;  for  I  will  rescue  my 
people  from  your  hand ;  and  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah. 


disturb  a  covey  of  birds,  not  that  they 
may  fray  them  away,  but  that  they  may 
make  them  fly  into  the  gins  that  they 
have  set  for  them.  LXX.  fls  SiaffKop- 
Trifffj.of. 

21.  "ir.*!"^?  )  in  your  hand,  i.e.  in  your 
power  —  exposed  to  your  influence. 

22.  •^JJS  signifies  to  be  dejecied,  have 
the  mind  filled  with  despondency,  and  is 
synonymous  with  S^5^ .  To  witness  the 
alluring  arts  of  false  teachers,  and  listen 
to  their  seductive  doctrine,  cannot  but 


be  a  source  of  grief  to  every  pious  mind. 
While  such  teachers  rob  the  people  of 
God  of  that  consolation  which  he  hath 
purposed  they  should  enjoy,  they  confirm 
the  wicked  in  their  rebellious  practices 
by  holding  out  to  them  hopes  of  immu- 
nity from  punishment. 

23.  The  Divine  judgments  should 
overtake  these  impudent  pretenders  to 
revelation,  and  thus  put  an  end  to  their 
nefarious  artifices,  and  their  bad  influ- 
ence over  the  people. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

A  company  of  oflBcial  persons  present  themselves  before  Ezekiel  under  the  hypocritical 
mask  of  religious  inquirers,  1;  their  character  is  described  and  their  punishment  threat- 
ened, 2-5;  they  are  called  to  repentance,  and  the  sentence  of  their  doom,  if  they  should 
continue  incorrigible,  is  repeated,  6-8 ;  the  punishment  to  be  inflicted  on  the  false  proph- 
ets is  described,  9,  10;  and  its  result,  the  recovery  of  the  Jews  to  tlie  service  of  the  true 
God,  11;  the  unavailing  intercession  of  the  most  eminent  saints  of  God  on  behalf  of  the 
impenitent  is  strongly  and  repeatedly  asserted,  12-21 ;  still  a  remnant  should  be  left, 
who,  recovered  from  idolatry,  should  testify  to  the  rectitude  of  the  Divine  conduct,  and 
experience  the  returning  favor  of  their  God,  22,  23. 

1     And  there  came  to  me  men  of  the  elders  of  Israel,  and  they  sat 


1.  The  syntax  of  t^l^J^  in  the  singu- 
lar with  C""^';**  in  the  plural  is  not  ab- 
horrent in  Hebrew  practice  —  the  num- 
ber of  the  noun  not  necessarily  having 
been  determined,  when  the  simple  idea 
expressed  by  the  verb  first  occurs  to  the 
mind.  Some  MS  S.,  however,  read  ISta';^, 
which  is  the  more  correct  orthography. 


PS'nO'] ,  Israel,  is  here  and  throughout 
the  chapter  to  be  taken,  not  as  designat- 
ing the  captivity  of  the  ten  tribes,  but 
that  of  the  Hebrews  generally,  with  spe- 
cial reference  to  those  Jews  Avho  were 
located  on  the  Chebar.  The  D'^DJ^t, 
elders,  were  civil  officers,  who  retained 
their  ofiice  though  in  a  state  of  exile,  — 


72 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XIV.  2-6. 


2  before   me.      And  the   word  of  Jehovah  came  to  me,  saying: 

3  Sou  of  man,  these  men  have  set  up  their  idols  in  their  heart, 
and  they  have  placed  the  stumbling-block  of  their  iniquity  before 

4  their  flice  :  Should  I  at  all  be  inquired  of  by  them  ?  Wherefore 
address  them,  and  say  unto  them  :  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  : 
Every  man  of  the  house  of  Israel  who  setteth  up  his  idols  in 
his  heart,  and  who  placeth  the  stumbling-block  of  his  iniquity 
before  his  face,  and  cometh  to  the  prophet,  I,  Jehovah,  myself 
will  answer  him  that  cometh,  according  to  the  multitude  of  liis 

5  idols :  In  order  to  take  the  house  of  Israel  in  their  own  heart, 
because  they  are  all  of  them  alienated  from  me  through  their 


the  Jews  still  submitting  to  their  author- 
ity. What  they  wished  to  learn  from 
the  prophet,  we  are  not  informed  ;  most 
probably  it  related  to  the  duration  of  the 
captivity,  or  to  the  fate  of  Jerusalem. 
That  they  were  not  actuated  by  any 
purely  religious  motive  is  manifest  from 
the  following  verses. 

3.  Whatever  appearances  these  ciders 
might  have  assumed  when  they  came  to 
Ezekiel,  he  is  divinely  informed  that  they 
were  purely  hypocritical.  Not  only  had 
tl)e  love  of  idolatry  not  been  eradicated 
from  their  hearts  ;  they  had  not  so  much 
as  put  away  their  idols  from  their  pres- 
ence ;  a  striking  type  of  their  country- 
men who  still  remained  in  Judea. 
laTnXii ,  a  form  of  the  Infinitive  Abso- 
lute, with  the  interrogative  H  adopted  to 
avoid  the  cacophony  that  would  have 
been  occasioned  by  writing  ^"''^Jv'^  > 
which  would  Imve  been  the  regular  from 
of  the  Infinite. 

4.  With  such  dissemblers  Jehovah 
could  have  no  fellowship,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  mvist  spurn  them  from  his 
presence  with  holy  indignation.  Com- 
pare Ps.  Ixvi.  18.  <^!?3  in  Niphal  dif- 
fers here  little  from  the  signification  in 
Kal,  excepting  that  it  conveys  the  idea 
of  the  action  being  more  immediately 
performed  by  God  himself,  and  so  far 
retaining  the  reflexive  force  of  that  con- 
jugation, as  I  imjself,  or  the  like.  Instead 
of  furnishing  an  answer  by  his  prophet, 
he  would  himself  give  one  by  the  actual 


infliction  of  the  merited  punishment. 
For  1^3  some  propose  to  point  f^3  > 
and  consider  it  to  be  anticipative  of  3"i3 
following,  as  is  common  in  the  Aramaic 
dialects  ;  but  to  tliis  construction  it  is 
objected,  that  there  is  a  want  of  agree- 
ment in  gender,  —  y-\  being  masculine 
whereas  p3  is  feminine.  To  obviate  this 
objection,  Hitzig  unsatisfactorily  pro- 
poses to  point  na  in  the  masculine.  I 
abide  by  the  Keri  which  proposes  ^3 , 
kim  that  cometh-  This  reading,  adopted 
by  our  translators,  is  found  in  the  text 
of  nine  Heb.  MSS.  and  has  originally 
been  in  seven  more.  The  only  difference 
lies  in  the  exchange  of  n  for  x .  The 
proposed  reading  13  is  without  any  au- 
thority. 

5.  The  meaning  is,  that  Jehovah  would 
come  upon  them  while  indulging  in  the 
idolatries  on  which  their  hearts  where 
set.  353  "C^Sri ,  to  take  in  the  heart,  is 
otherwise  an  unusual  mode  of  expression, 
but  there  seems  no  solid  ground  for  the 
construction  put  upon  it  by  Havcrnick, 
as  if  it  referred  to  the  working  of  a  change 
in  the  dispositions  of  the  Jews.  All  that 
it  expresses  is  the  certainty  of  the  calam- 
ity overtaking  them  while  they  were 
going  on  in  their  trespasses. 

6.  The  only  way  in  which  the  Jews 
could  expect  the  calamity  to  be  averted 
or  removed  was  by  an  entire  renunciation 
of  idols,  and  a  sincere  return  to  the  ser- 
vice of  the  true  God.  In  ^'S'^^rfil.  in^lia 
there  is  a  combination  of  the  Ival  and 


Chap.  XIV.  6-11.] 


EZEKIEL. 


10 


idols.  Wherefore  say  unto  the  house  of  Israel :  Thus  saith  the 
Lord  Jehovah  :  Turn  ye  thoroughly  from  your  idols  aud  turn 
away  your  faces  from  all  your  abominations.  For  every  man 
of  the  house  of  Israel,  and  of  the  stranger  who  sojourneth  in 
Israel,  and  is  alienated  from  me,  and  setteth  up  his  idols  in  his 
heart,  and  placeth  the  stumbling-block  of  his  iniquity  before  his 
face,  and  cometh  to  the  prophet  to  inquire  of  me  for  himself,  I, 
Jehovah,  myself  will  answer  him.  And  I  will  set  my  face, 
against  that  man,  and  will  make  him  a  sign  and  proverbs,  and 
will  cut  him  off  from  the  midst  of  my  people,  and  ye  shall  know 
that  I  am  Jehovah.  And  as  for  the  prophet  who  alloweth 
himself  to  he  deceived,  and  uttereth  a  speech,  I,  Jehovah,  have 
deceived  that  prophet,  and  I  will  stretch  forth  my  hand  against 
him,  and  destroy  him  from  among  my  people  Israel.  And  they 
shall  bear  the  punishment  of  their  iniquity ;  according  to  the 
punishment  of  him  that  inquireth  shall  be  the  punishment  of  the 


Hiphil  conjugations  for  the  sake  of  em- 
phasis. Keturn  unreservedly  from  your 
abominable  idolatries.  Be  no  longer 
estranged  from  me  either  in  heart  or 
practice.  They  were  neither  to  hanker 
after  in  desire,  nor  look  towards  the 
accursed  thing. 

7.  The  same  judgment  should  over- 
take the  proselyte  as  the  native  Jew  who 
indulged  in  idolatry,  and  hypocritically 
applied  to  a  prophet  for  counsel.  Com- 
pare vcr.  4.  Strangers  were  only  legally 
tolerated  in  the  land  of  the  Hebrews  on 
the  condition  that  they  worshipped  no 
god,  but  Jcliovah  alone.  Lev.  xvii.  8,  9. 
''S ,  at  the  end  of  the  verse,  is  emphatic, 
hij  myselj]  and  may  be  regarded  as  an 
ellipsis  of  ''^"Swp  "'a  ,  bij  myself  have  I 
sicorn,  as  Gen.  xxii.  16.  The  significa- 
tion, ohsecro,  quceso,  for  which  Gesenius 
contends,  however  it  may  suit  other  pas- 
sages, is  not  at  all  apt  here.  The  occur- 
rence of  "^3  in  the  phrase  "'S  W^'l , 
to  inquire  of  me,  in  the  preceding  sen- 
tence, naturally  leads  to  the  construction 
which  I  have  suggested.  "13  refers  to 
the  applicant,  not  to  S<"'r^  »  the  prophet : 
who  comes  to  a  prophet  for  himself,  for 
his  own  satisfaction,  to  inquire  of  me. 
The  ?  marks  here  the  Dat.  commodi. 
7 


8.  The  signal  jjunishment  to  be  in- 
flicted, as  denounced  at  the  close  of  the 
previous  verse.  Instead  of  "fiTiiiadi^j , 
/  will  destroy  him,  which  is  the  current 
reading  of  the  printed  text,  I  prefer 
sininW-^bni ,  /  will  set  or  place  him, 
which  is  that  of  Bomberg's  edition  of 
1525.  It  may  be  regarded,  indeed,  as  a 
mere  conjectural  emendation,  but  it  is 
supported  by  all  the  ancient  versions, 
and  is  more  suitable  to  Hebrew  usage. 

9.  If  matters  should  turn  out  differ- 
ently from  what  the  prophet  expected 
and  foretold,  I  have  so  ordered  them  in 
the  course  of  my  providence  as  to  issue 
in  such  a  result.  It  is  the  prerogative 
of  Deity  to  control  the  sinful  operations 
of  created  minds,  without  interfering 
with  free-agency.  Oh  roivvv  ko-t  ivepjuav 
—  aWa  Kara  avyxcip'riciv  (Theodoret). 
Sec  on  Jer.  iv.  10.  The  prophet  here 
referred  to  was  a  false,  not  a  true  prophet. 

10.  C2iy  ,  their  iniquity,  i.e.  the  punish- 
ment of  their  iniquity,  as  chap.  iv.  4-6. 
The  term  is  properly  so  rendered  here 
in  our  common  version. 

11.  The  result  of  such  severe  pun- 
ishment would  be  the  recovery  of  the 
Israelites  from  their  addictedness  to 
idolatry,  to   be  again  a  holy  people  to 


74 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XIV.  12-19. 


1 1  prophet ;  That  the  house  of  Israel  may  no  more  go  astray  from 
me,  and  that  they  may  no  more  defile  themselves  with  all  their 
transgressions,  but  may  be  my  people  and  I  may  be  their  God, 
saith  the  Lord  Jehovah. 

12  And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  to  me,  saying:  Son  of  man,  when 

13  a  land  hath  sinned  against  me  by  commiting  a  grevious  ti-ans- 
gression,  and  I  stretch  forth  my  hand  against  it,  and  break  its 
staff'  of  bread,  and  send  famine  into  it,  and  cut  oiF  man  and  beast 

1 4  from  it ;  And  though  these  three  men  were  in  the  midst  of  it, 
Noah,  Daniel,  and  Job,  they  should  deliver  their  own  souls  by 

15  their  righteousness,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah.  Should  I  cause 
wild  beasts  to  pass  through  a  land,  and  it  is  bereaved  and  becomes 
desolate,  so  that  no  one  passeth  through  it  because  of  the  wild 

16  beasts;  Though  these  three  men  were  in  the  midst  of  it,  as  I 
live,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  they  should  deliver  neither  sons 
nor  daughters  ;    they  alone    should  be  delivered,  but  the  land 


Jehovah,  who  would  then  renew  his 
ancient  rehitionship  to  them  as  their 
God. 

12-21.  bs'^"brrib,  to  trespass  a  tres- 
pass ;  i.e.  to  commit  an  enormous  tres- 
pass. With  manifest  reference  to  Jer. 
XV.  1,  the  prophet  is  repeatedly  in- 
structed in  these  verses,  that  not  only 
should  the  powerful  intercessions  of  such 
eminent  men  as  Moses  and  Samuel 
prove  of  no  avail  on  behalf  of  the  Jew- 
ish people,  but  that  those  of  such  right- 
eous men  as  Noah,  Daniel,  and  Job 
should  prove  equally  fruitless.  Highly 
as  the  ])ersonal  righteousness  of  these 
three  illustrious  individuals  was  held  in 
estimation  by  the  Most  High,  there  was 
no  merit  in  it  transferable  to  any  of  the 
guilty  inhabitants  of  the  land.  Even 
Noah,  on  account  of  whose  righteous 
character  his  family  were  saved  along 
with  him  in  the  ark,  should  not  now, 
were  he  alive  iipon  the  earth,  be  able  to 
deliver  either  sons  or  daughters,  if  they 
were  found  to  have  joined  the  rebellious. 
Every  one  should  be  treated  on  the 
ground  of  his  own  individual  character. 
The  prophet  multiplies  instances  in  or- 
der to  work  a  conviction  in  the  minds 
of  his  countrymen  of  the  enormity  of 


their  crimes.  Daniel  having  been  four- 
teen years  in  Babylon  at  the  time  here 
referred  to,  must  have  heen  well  known 
by  fame  to  the  Jews  of  the  captivity. 
His  historical  existence,  as  well  as  that 
of  Job,  is  taken  for  granted,  and  can 
with  no  show  of  argument  be  denied  any 
more  than  that  of  Noah.  The  chrono- 
logical order  of  the  names  presents  no 
difficulty.  A  similar  inversion  occurs 
Heb.  xi.  32.  Besides,  as  Havernick  ob- 
serves, there  is  a  climax  in  the  introduc- 
tion of  Job's  name  last,  none  of  his  sons 
or  daughters  having  been  saved  for  his 
sake,  as  appears  so  manifestly  on  the 
very  face  of  the  narrative,  chaj).  i.  Four 
of  the  greatest  calamities  that  can  befal 
a  people  are  hypothetically  threatened 
—  famine  (ver.  13),  wild  beasts  (ver.  15), 
war  (ver.  17),  and  the  plague  (ver.  19), 
<^jn  ,  icild  beasts,  is  used  collectively. 

15.  For  i^ri=3'J  two  of  Kennicott's 
MSS.  read  tiTl^Sd  ,  in  the  first  person. 
Thus  also  the  LXX.  Tiixaip-!](TOfxai  avr-fiv. 

16.  CX ,  )y,  an  elliptical  formula  of 
swearing  in  HebrcAV,  having  all  the 
force  of  a  negative.  Compare  Ps.  xcv, 
11. 

19.  fia  is  not  to  he  rendered  rm  ac- 
count of  blood,  as  Rosenmiillcr  proposes. 


Chap.  XIV.  19-23.]  E  Z  E  K I E  L,  75 

17  should  be  desolate.  Or  if  I  should  bring  a  sword  against  that 
land,  and  should  say,  Sword,  go  through  the  land,  and  I  should 

18  cut  off  man  and  beast  from  it ;  And  these  three  men  were  in  the 
midst  of  it,  as  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  they  should  deliver 
neither  sons  nor  daughters,  but  they  by  themselves  should  be 

1 9  delivered.  Or  if  I  send  a  pestilence  against  that  land,  and  pour 
out  my  fury  upon  it  in  blood,  to  cut  off"  man  and  beast  from  it ; 

20  And  Noah,  Daniel,  and  Job  were  in  the  midst  of  it,  as  I  live, 
saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  they  should  deliver  neither  son  nor 
daughter  ;  they  by  their  righteousness  should  deliver  their  own 

21  souls.  For  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  How  much  more 
when  I  send  against  Jerusalem  my  four  calamitous  judgments, 
the  sword,  and  the  famine,  and  the  wild  beasts,  and  the  pesti- 

22  lence,  to  cut  off"  from  her  man  and  beast !  Yet  behold,  there 
shall  be  left  in  her  those  that  escape,  who  shall  be  brought  out, 
sons  and  daughters :  behold,  they  shall  go  forth  to  you,  and  ye 
shall  see  their  way  and  their  doings,  and  ye  shall  be  comforted 
concerning  the  evil  which  I  have  brought  upon  Jerusalem,  all 

23  that  I  have  brought  upon  it.  And  they  shall  comfort  you,  when 
ye  shall  see  their  way  and  their  doings  ;  and  ye  shall  know  that 
it  is  not  for  nothing  that  I  have  done  all  that  I  have  done  in  it, 
saith  the  Lord  Jehovah 

but  in  blood:  the  judgment  was  to  con-  were  reformed  Jews,  upon  whom   the 

sist  in  the  shedding  of  blood  by  war.  capture  of  Jerusalem   had   produced  a 

21.  "3  Tjii ,  qnnnto  riiCKjis,  is  strongly  beneficial  moral  effect.  "Their  ways 
affirmative  of  a  proceeding  on  the  part  and  their  doings "  were  not  those  by 
of  Jehovah,  in  accordance  with  the  in-  whicli  they  had  provoked  the  Lord  to 
stances  cited  in  the  preceding  verses.  punish   the   nation,   but   the   fruits   of 

22,  23.  C^Nri^arn,  those  icho  shall  be  righteousness  —  the  good  works  to  the 
brought  out,  made  to  escape  the  entire  practice  of  which  they  had  been  recov- 
destruction  of  the  city.  The  participle  ered  by  the  severe  discipline  through 
is  not  to  be  read  actively  D'^N'^iJ'Hn ,  the  course  of  which  they  had  been 
as  Houbigant  proposes  and  Newcome  brought.  "While  they  justified  God  in 
adopts.  I  cannot  find,  with  Calvin,  all  the  calamities  which  he  had  inflicted 
Haverniek,  and  Fairbairn,  that  these  upon  them,  their  being  spared  was  a 
verses  contain  a  threatening,  and  not  a  proof  of  his  great  mercy,  and  a  pledge 
promise.  Whenever  a  remnant  is  spoken  that,  if  their  brethren  in  the  captivity 
of  as  being  left,  in  antithesis  with  what  followed  their  example,  by  renouncing 
goes  before,  it  is  always  in  mercy,  never  idolatry,  they  also  should  be  dealt  with 
in  judgment.     The  persons  spoken  of,  in  mercy. 


76 


EZEKIEL. 


Chap.  XV.  1-8. 


CHAPTER    XV. 

The  object  of  this  short  chapter,  which  is  evidently  introductory  to  the  following,  is  to  set 
forth  the  worthlessuess  and,  by  implication,  the  wickedness  of  the  Jewish  people.  It 
consists  of  two  parts,  —  the  parable,  1-5 ;  and  its  application,  C-8. 

1  And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  to  me,  saying :  Son  of  man,  what 

2  is  the  wood  of  the  vine  more  than  any  other  wood  ?  the  shoot 

3  that  is  among  the  trees  of  the  forest  ?  Shall  wood  of  it  be  taken 
to  make  any  work  ?     Will  men  take  a  peg  of  it  to  hang  any 

4  vessel  on  ?  Behold,  it  is  cast  into  the  fire  for  fuel  ;  the  fire 
devoureth  both  the  ends  of  it,  the  midst  of  it  also  is  burned. 

5  Should  it  be  fit  for  any  work  ?  Behold,  when  it  was  whole  it 
was  not  made  into  any  work :  how  much  less  when  fire  hath 
devoured  it,  and  it  is  burned,  should  it  be  made  into  any  work  ? 

6  Wherefore  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  :  As  the  wood  of  the 
vine  is  among  the  trees  of  the  forest,  which  I  have  appointed 
to  the  fire  for  fuel,  so  have  I  appointed  the  inhabitants  of  Jeru- 

7  salem.  Yea,  I  have  set  my  face  against  them :  they  shall  go 
out  of  one  fire,  but  another  fire  shall  consume  them ;  and  ye 
shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah,  when  I  set  my  face  against  them. 


1-3.  Teaching  by  similes  drawn  from 
nature,  when  judicioush'  conducted,  pos- 
sesses great  beauty  and  force.  The  in- 
stance before  us  is  eminently  clear,  sim- 
ple, and  ap]iropriate.  The  point  of 
comparison  does  not  lie  in  the  fruit,  but 
simply  in  the  wood  of  the  vine.  Al- 
though sometimes  of  considerable  girth 
at  the  stem,  yet  generally  the  vine  is 
small,  and  its  branches  consist  of  soft 
and  brittle  tendrils,  carried  along  the 
face  of  a  wall,  or  left  to  trail  on  the 
ground.  They  are,  as  here  represented, 
totally  unfit  to  be  formed  into  any  kind 
of  instrument,  or  appropriated  to  useful 
purposes,  as  the  wood  of  other  trees  maj'- 
be.  iTil^C'ti'l  is  in  apposition  with  yV  • 
The  question  is  understood  to  be  re- 
peated :  What  is  the  shoot  more  than 
that  of  any  other  tree  in  the  forest  ? 
"ir^^ ,  a  large  wooden  peg  or  pin,  which 
the  Orientals  fix  inside  the  walls  of  their 
houses  for  the  purpose  of  hanging  upon 
it  household   articles  in  constant  use. 


See  on  Isa.  xxii.  23-25.  The  fire  nat- 
urally attacks  the  ends  of  a  piece  of 
wood  first,  and  then  advances  to  the 
middle,  burning  till  the  whole  be  con- 
sumed. If  unfit  for  any  purpose  before 
it  was  cast  into  the  fire,  how  much  more 
so  when  consumed  ?  "'S  C;X ,  quanta 
minus,  here,  in  a  negative  proposition. 
It  is  questionable  whether  the  two  ends 
are  to  be  pressed,  and  made  to  symbolize 
the  extremities  of  the  Hebrew  people  — 
the  northern  kingdom  carried  into  cap- 
tivity by  Tiglath-pilescr,  and  the  south-, 
em  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  —  the  middle 
marking  out  Jerusalem. 

6-8.  After  a  brief  repetition  of  the 
comparison,  the  parable  is  directly  ap- 
plied to  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem, 
or  the  Jewish  state,  represented  by  that 
city.  yy3  is  to  be  taken  as  a  collective 
noun.  Three  MSS.  read  i^y3 ,  in  the 
plural ;  and  thus  all  the  ancient  versions. 
Trxn'i  ...  CNh,  the  fire  and  the  f  re,  is 
properly  translated  "  one  fire  and  another 


Chap.  XVI.  2,  3.] 


EZEKIEL. 


77 


8       I  will  also  make  the  land  desolate,  because  they  have  committed 
a  grievous  transgression  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah. 

fire."     The  Jews  having  utterly  failed  to     succession,  till  the  dross  of  their  idolatry 


answer  the  Divine  purpose  in  selecting 
them  to  be  witnesses  for  Jehovah  in  the 
midst  of  the  heathen,  they  were  to  be 
completely  broken  up  as  a  nation,  and 
punished  by  severe  and  fiery  trials  in 


was  purged  away.  When  a  professing 
people  act  unworthily  of  their  calling, 
they  arc  only  fit  to  be  rejected.  Compare 
Matt.  iii.  10 ;  v.  13. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

In  an  allegory  of  great  length  and  minute  detail,  tlie  prophet  is  commissioned  to  exhibit 
the  positive  side  of  the  picture,  which  lie  liad  negatively  lield  up  to  view  in  the  previous 
chapter.  In  a  stril^ing  poetical  prosopoposia,  Jerusalem  is  introduced  as  a  new-born 
female  exposed  at  lier  birth,  1-5;  but  mercifully  taken  by  Jehovah  under  his  protection, 
and,  when  grown  up  to  womanhood,  joined  to  him  by  a  matrimonial  covenant,  and  pro- 
vided witli  everything  that  might  sot  off  lier  beauty,  and  minister  to  her  comfort,  6-14. 
She  afterwards  becomes  an  adultross,  and  indulges  in  the  grossest  pollutions,  15-34. 
Merited  punishment  is  then  denounced  against  her,  35-43;  in  aggravation  of  the  mon- 
strous cliaracter  of  her  lewdness,  it  is  portrayed  as  Incomparably  greater  than  that 
of  any  of  lier  neighbors,  44-59.  The  allegory  concludes  with  a  gracious  promise  of  res- 
toration, 60-03.  How  abhorrent  or  indelicate  soever  certain  parts  of  the  imagery  may 
be  to  our  more  refined  feelings,  they  are  admirably  adapted  to  the  subject,  and  quite  in 
keeping  with  the  greater  freedom  in  modes  of  speech  wiiich  have  always  obtained 
among  natives  of  the  East.  Tlie  pious  mind  will  instinctively  recoil  from  dwelling  upon 
any  improper  ideas  which  they  may  be  supposed  to  suggest. 

1  Again  the  word  of  the  Lord  came  unto  me,  saying :  Son  of  man, 

2  cause  Jerusalem  to  know  her  abominations,  And  say  :  Thus  saith 

3  the  Lord  Jehovah  unto  Jerusalem  :  Thy  origin  and  thy  nativity 
were  of  the  land  of  the  Canaanite  ;  thy  father  was  an  Amorite, 


2,  3.  Jerusalem  is  the  symbolical  rep- 
resentative of  the  .Jewish  peoijle,  or  the 
kingdom  of  Judah.  In  order  to  prepare 
the  minds  of  the  Jews  for  the  very 
humiliating  picture  about  to  be  exhib- 
ited of  their  national  degradation,  they 
are  first  of  all  reminded  of  their  Canaan- 
itish  origin.  It  is,  however,  rather  the 
character  of  the  inhabitants  of  Canaan 
than  the  country  itself  that  is  meant. 
Compare  Zeph.  i.  11  ;  Zech.  xiv.  21.  As 
neither  Abraham  nor  Sarah  was  de- 
scended from  the  tribes  here  specified, 
but  were  Araniajans,  it  is  evident  the 
reference  must  be  to  Jerusalem  as  origi- 
7* 


nally  inhabited  by  the  Jebusites,who  were 
more  or  less  mixed  up  with  the  neigh- 
boring Amorites  and  Hittites.  Comp. 
Numb.  xiii.  29.  In  idolatry  they  were 
one ;  and  in  this  respect  furnished  ap- 
propriate types  of  the  Jewish  inhabitants 
in  after  times,  when  they  had  apostatized 
from  the  worship  of  the  true  God.  The 
iniquity  of  the  Amorites  is  specially 
marked.  Gen.  xv.  16  ;  and  the  family  of 
Heth  is  likewise  mentioned  with  disap- 
probation, chap,  xxvii.  46.  The  diifer- 
encc  between  fT^^sp  and  V.'lhi'O  is 
scarcely  perceptible.  They  are  merely 
synonymcs  expressive  of  naticiUj  or  birth. 


78 


EZEKIEL, 


[Chap.  XVI.  3-6. 


and  thy  mother  a  Hittite.  And  as  for  thy  birth,  in  the  day 
when  thou  wast  born,  thy  navel  was  not  cut,  neither  wast  thou 
washed  with  water  for  purification,  nor  rubbed  at  all  with  salt, 
neither  swaddled  at  all.  No  eye  pitied  thee  to  do  any  of  these 
things  unto  thee,  to  compassionate  thee,  but  thou  wast  cast  out 
into  the  open  field  in  the  loathing  of  thy  person  on  the  day  when 


The  prefix  "a  is  not  necessarily  indica- 
tive of  locality,  which  is  the  idea  adojtted 
by  Gescniiis  and  some  other  Hebraists, 
but  is  a  simple  formative,  as  in  ^'^"■3, 
nrn^  ,  hrcz-2 ,  and  the  like.  The  dis- 
tinction made  by  Ilavernick,  who  inter- 
prets 'T^'^^'?  ''y  Zeugimgsort,  and  n';;^172 
by  Gebiirfsort,  is  quite  an  unnecessary 
refinement.  The  plural  form  in  both 
cases  is  against  the  interpretation.  That 
the  former  noun,  however,  is  derived  from 
^^3  5  to  dig,  seems  the  best  established 
etymology. 

4.  Eevcrting  to  the  earliest  history  of 
Jerusalem,  the  city  being  put  for  the 
inhabitants,  the  prophet  exhibits  her  as 
a  female  infant  cruell}^  neglected  with 
respect  to  the  performance  of  those 
offices  which  it  requires  on  first  cominjr 
into  the  world.  TjI^IX  '^'!]?.^'^  >  the  pas- 
sive is  here,  as  usual,  construed  with  the 
accusative.  Comp.  Gen.  xl.  20 ;  Hos. 
ii.  5.  The  historical  circumstances  allc- 
gorically  alluded  to  arc  those  of  the 
Hebrews  in  Egypt,  where  they  were  ex- 
posed to  every  species  of  cruelty.  TeV- 
vrjdiv  5e  airrrjs  Ka\et  r)]v  «f  kl-yvirrov 
e|o5ov  (Theodoret).  ^;a,  the  umbilical 
cord  or  na-\-el-string,  which  requires  to  be 
cut  at  the  birth  of  the  infant.  Root 
"I'nO ,  to  hind,  twist,  etc.  This,  with  the 
other  terms  here  employed,  presujiposes 
some  acquaintance  with  the  obstetric  art 
in  the  age  of  our  prophet.  The  next 
circumstance  adverted  to  is  the  washing 
with  water,  for  the  purpose  of  removing 
all  impurities  attaching  to  the  surface 
of  the  body.  ''?'9'?t'  '  /"''  pu'ificulion. 
Comp.  for  derivation  the  Arab,    ^-mi,^ 

V.  conjug.  removit  a  se  noxam  vel  potius 
corporis    inquinamentum,    and    the    Syr. 


|.V  A  Vn  «  splendidumfuciens.  TheLXX. 

must  have  understood  the  word  in  this 
light,  since  they  have  left  it  altogether 
untranslated,  supposing  that  the  idea 
was  sufljcicntly  expressed  by  e\ova-eT]s, 
by  which  they  had  rendered  riSHTi . 
The  Targum,  as  read  by  Abulwalid, 
^7l?-'l^ :  '  ""^  mundundum;  by  Jarchi, 
n-rin^jb  ,  for  brig/itness.  This  derivation 
seems  preferable  to  that  adopted  by 
Gcscnius,  who  refers  the  word  to  the  root 
nya ,  to  look,  view,  and  supposes  the 
meaning  to  have  respect  to  the  presen- 
tation of  a  new-born  infant,when  washed, 
to  the  parents  or  others.  This  interpre- 
tation, however  applicable  to  the  circum- 
stances of  the  case,  and  however  it  may 
seem  to  relieve  the  etymological  diffi- 
culty, is  less  natural  than  that  above 
suggested.  For  the  ibrm  and  punctua- 
tion, compare  """^^p  .  That  it  was  cus- 
tomary in  ancient  times  to  rub  the  bodies 
of  new-born  children  with  salt,  for  the 
purpose  of  hardening  the  skin,  appears 
from  Galen,  De  Sanit.  i.  7  :  Sale  modico 
insperso  cutis  infantis  densior  solidiorque 
redditnr. 

5.  The  infant  is  supposed  to  have  been 
entirely  neglected,  and  pitilessly  thrown 
down  in  the  open  field,  exposed  to  the 
elements  or  to  wild  beasts.  The  expo- 
sure of  infants  was  a  practice  very  com- 
mon in  ancient  times.  T{4,P^  ^?^3» 
in  the  loathimj  ofthg  -person,  is  to  be  taken 
objectively,  M'ith  reference  to  the  abhor- 
rent aspect  of  the  infiint  thus  exposed  to 
view.  Such  was  the  primitive  condition 
of  the  Hebrew  people  when  in  Egypt. 

6.  Jehovah  here  represents  himself  as 
a  traveller  who,  on  passing  by,  discovers 
the  unsightly  and  pitiable  object  which 


Chap.  XVI.  6-8.] 


E  Z  E  K I E  L . 


79 


thou  wast  bora.  Then  I  passed  by  thee,  and  saw  thee  sprawling 
in  thy  blood,  and  I  said  to  thee  in  thy  blood,  Live ;  yea  I  said  to 
thee  in  thy  blood,  Live.  I  made  thee  to  increase  by  thousands 
as  the  sproutings  of  the  field,  and  thou  didst  increase  and  become 
great,  and  earnest  with  most  splendid  ornaments  ;  thy  breasts 
Avere  formed,  and  thy  hair  was  grown,  whereas  thou  hadst  been 
naked  and  bare.  And  I  passed  by  thee,  and  saw  thee,  and,  be- 
hold, thy  time  was  a  time  of  love ;  and  I  spread  my  skirt  over 
thee,  and  covered  thy  nakedness,  and  sware  unto  thee,  and 
entered  into  a  covenant  with  thee,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  and 


had  just  been  described,  and  interposes 
for  its  rescue.  Notwithstanding  its  pol- 
lution, he  takes  compassion  upon  it,  and 
saves  its  life.  rDD"3r^  may  most  ap- 
propriately be  rendered  by  sprauiing,  as 
expressive  of  the  convulsive  strujrgles 
and  contortions  of  a  child  endeavoring 
to  move  from  a  disagreeable  situation. 
The  word  is  derived  from  0"3  5  to  tram- 
ple, stamp  Avith  the  feet,  hick.  The  form 
in  Hithpael,  is  active  and  reflexive  — 
not  passive,  as  Gcsenius  interprets.  In 
this  miserable  and  helpless  condition 
Jehovah  found  the  Hcbi'cws  in  the  land 
of  bondage.  Extending  the  principle 
involved  in  the  figure  beyond  the  direct 
teaching  of  the  text,  it  is  strikingly 
descriptive  of  the  condition  of  sinners 
previous  to  conversion.  As  Calvin  ob- 
serves, till  they  feel  this  to  be  the  state 
to  which  they  are  reduced,  they  will 
never  appreciate  the  provisions  of  mercy. 
Houbigant  rejects  the  last  clause  of  the 
verse,  on  the  ground  of  its  having  been 
omitted  in  the  LXX.,  Syr.,  and  Arab. ; 
but  there  is  a  singular  force  in  the  repe- 
tition, of  which  even  Ililzig  approves. 

7.  This  verse  describes  the  change 
which  took  place  in  consequence  of  the 
Divine  interposition.  Instead  of  being 
left  to  pine  away  and  become  extinct  in 
Egypt,  the  Hebrews  grew  and  increased 
in  number,  and  were  made  to  appear 
beauteous  in  their  civil  and  religious 
polity.  Instead  of  O']'?''^ ,  breasts,  one  of 
Kennicott's  MSS.  and  another  originally 
read  T^llli? ,  thy  breasts,  and  thus  the 
LXX.,   the  Peshito   Syr.,   the  Hexap. 


Syr.,  the  Arab,  and  the  Vulgate,  "^^n"! , 
a  mijriad,  ten  thousand ;  often  used  for 
any  great  indefinite  number.  I  made 
thee  to  increase  by  thousands,  as  the 
productions  of  the  field.  n"^:i  is  used  as 
a  collective.  Root  I^^^  >  to  s})rout,  spring 
up.  The  metaphor  is  still  continued, 
representing  the  infant  growing  up  to 
womanhood,  and  exhibiting  unmi stake- 
able  signs  of  puberty.  C^^?  ""I??' 
taking  tlie  former  of  the  two  words  col- 
lectively, ornaments  of  ornaments,  i.e.  as 
a  superlative  of  intensity,  most  splendid 
ornaments.  The  constructions  put  upon 
"'l^'  by  Grotius,  Havernick,  and  Hitzig 
are  complete  failures.  The  LXX.  irSXets 
irdAeoov,  as  if  they  had  read  C"]"^^  ^^jJ . 
D  Xia ,  to  fame  with  anything.  I  can- 
not agree  with  Fairbairn  that  "^^.^!1  CIS), 
naked  and  bare,  is  to  be  regarded  as  con- 
temporaneous with  the  prosperous  con- 
dition just  described.  Our  translators 
very  properly  place  the  states  in  contrast, 
rendering  t  by  "  whereas."  Compare 
Hos.  ii.  3.  In  "^^"!"1  C"'?  we  have  the 
abstract  for  the  concrete,  in  order  to  give 
greater  force  to  the  language.  "^^I?  > 
though  derived  from  the  same  root  as 
■^^"1?  J  yet  here  simply  signifies  nude, 
bare,  whereas  the  latter  has  always  the 
superadded  idea  of  obscenity,  or  shame. 
It  is  not  unusual  for  female  children 
among  the  Bcdowins  to  grow  up  with- 
out wearing  any  clothing ;  and,  being 
common,  it  is  not  accompanied  with  any 
feeling  of  impropriety. 

8.  A   resumption   of  the   declaration 
made  at  the  commencement  of  verse  6. 


80 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XVI.  8-10. 


10 


11 


thou  becamest  mine.  Then  I  washed  thee  with  water,  and 
thoroughly  cleansed  thy  blood  from  thee,  and  anointed  thee  with 
oil.  And  I  clothed  thee  with  embroidered  cloth,  and  shod  thee 
with  shoes  of  seal-skin,  and  bound  thee  round  with  a  turban  of 
byssus,  and  covered  thee  with  silk.  And  I  made  thee  most 
beautiful,  and  put  bracelets  on  thy  arms,  and  a  chain  on  thy  neck, 


The  same  act  is  referred  to.  Unsightly 
and  loathsome  as  the  Hebrew  people 
were  in  themselves,  and  thus  calculated 
to  excite  disgust  rather  than  to  attract, 
they  nevertheless  were  the  objects  of  the 
Divine  love,  which  regarded  them  as 
those  whom  it  was  the  purpose  of  Jeho- 
vah to  deliver,  beautify  and  foster.  Deut. 
iv.  37;  vii.  9-13;  x.  15;  Hos.  xi.  1. 
W'~n  ns  ,  a  time  of  loves,  i.e.  not,  when 
thou  wast  marriageable,  as  Eosenmiil'.er 
and  Gesenius  interpret,  but,  when  thou 
wast  an  object  of  afl'cction.  There  was 
nothing  in  Israel  that  was  lovely.  It 
was  all  pure  affection  on  the  part  of  Je- 
hovah. The  advance  in  the  allegory  is 
now  to  that  of  the  espousals.  To  be- 
token this  ^^^5  ?;3  J  the  spreading  of  the 
skirt  or  flap  of  tlie  coverlet  is  introduced. 
That  this  is  the  meaning,  with  reference 
to  matrimonial  cohabitation,  is  evident 
from  Ruth  iii.  9.  Similar  phraseology 
with  like  reference  occurs  in  the  Greek 
classics,  as  quoted  by  Rosenmiiller.  Thus 
Theocritus,  Idyll,  xviii.  19  : 
7.av6s    rot    Ouydrrip    virh  Tctj/  filav  Six^to 

XKcuvav. 
and  Euripides :     - 

"Orav  vit'  ai/Bphs  xXa?*'oj'  evyevovs  "irearis. 
Reference  to  simple  protection,  alleging 
in  proof  Deut.  xxxiii.  12,  as  some  have 
done,  is  out  of  the  question.  All  that 
the  Orientals  wear  over  them  at  night  is 
a  quilt  or  coverlet,  or,  when  travelling, 
the  cloak  which  they  have  worn  during 
the  day.  Hence,  in  the  language  of  the 
Hebrews,  to  uncover  the  nakedness  of  a 
person  means  to  throw  back  such  a  cov- 
erlet with  a  view  to  unlawful  or  incestu- 
ous union.  Lev.  xviii.  There  is  in  this 
verse  an  obvious  reference  to  the  solemn 
transactions  at  Sinai,  when  Jehovah  en- 


tered into  covenant  with  the  Hebrews, 
thereby  contracting  as  it  were  a  conjugal 
relation,  by  which  he  pledged  himself  to 
love,  provide  for,  and  protect  them; 
while  they  came  under  an  obligation  to 
love,  worship,  and  obey  Him  to  the  ex- 
clusion of  every  rival  god.  Hence,  as  it 
follows  in  the  sequel,  and  so  fi-equently 
in  the  Old  Testament,  idolatry  is  repre- 
sented as  si)iritual  adultery,  the  nation 
thereby  being  guilty  of  a  breach  of  the 
marriage  covenant. 

9.  There  seems  here  to  be  reference  to 
a  custom  prevalent  in  the  East  of  wash- 
ing the  bride  in  the  bath,  anointing  her 
with  oil,  and  adorning  her  with  orna- 
ments, previous  to  the  celebration  of  the 
marriage  ceremony  (Esthcrii.  9-12).  The 
C"!^^ ,  blood,  here  mentioned  is  not  that 
of  the  menstrual  discharge,  as  Rosen- 
miiller interprets,  but  that  mentioned 
verse  6.  The  Israelites  underwent  a 
thorough  purification  before  they  entered 
into  the  covenant,  Exod.  xix.  14.  Com- 
pare Jer.  ii.  2,  3.  They  were  designed 
to  be  a  holy  people  to  the  Lord. 

10.  n^p"!,  embroidered  cloth,  compare 
m'-Siri,  Ps.  xlv.  15,  and  the  Arab. 
|V9j  5  by  which  is  meant  cloth  of  versi- 
color, richly  intersticed  with  threads  of 
gold,  ^'nn  ,  a  kind  of  skin,  used  by  the 
Hebrews  to  make  an  over-covering  to 
the  tabernacle,  Exod.  xxvi.  14,  and,  as 
appears  from  the  present  verse,  used  also 
for  shoes  ;  but  of  what  particular  ani- 
mal, has  been  disputed.  The  most  prob- 
able opinion  is,  that  the  seal  is  intended. 
Sec  Gesenius  in  voc,  and  Winer's  Real- 
worterbuch,  ii.  595.  UJl^ ,  byssus,  fine 
cotton  cloth,  such  as  was  anciently  pre- 
pared in  Egypt.  ''^^ ,  silk,  garments 
prepared  of  this  material. 


Chap.  XVI.  11-15.] 


EZEKIEL. 


81 


12 
13 


14 


15 


and  I  put  a  ring  in  thy  nose,  and  rings  in  thine  ears,  and  a  crown 
of  beauty  on  thy  liead.  And  thou  wast  adorned  with  gold  and 
silver,  and  thy  garments  were  of  liyssus  and  silk  and  embroidery  ; 
thou  didst  eat  flour  and  honey  and  oil ;  and  thou  wast  exceedingly 
beautiful,  and  didst  prosper  into  a  kingdom.  And  thy  fiinie  went 
forth  among  the  nations  on  account  of  thy  beauty,  for  it  was 
perfect  through  my  splendor  which  I  put  upon  thee,  saith  the 
Lord  Jehovah. 
But  thou  trustedst  in  thy  beauty,  and  didst  commit  lewdness 
through  thy  fame,  and  didst  pour  out  thy  lewdness  to  every  one 


11,  12.  For  most  of  these  female  orna- 
ments, see  my  Comment  on  Isa.  iii. 
18-23.  It  must  appear  strange  that 
our  translators  should  have  rendered 
~QX~?5  CTi  ,  a  jewel  on  thy  forehead. 
0.1?  properly  means  a  ring,  and  denotes 
cither  such  as  was  worn  in  the  nose, 
which  is  still  common  in  the  East,  or 
such  as  is  worn  in  the  ears.  The  addi- 
tion of  ~Si<  >  tliy  nose,  shows  that  the 
former  is  meant  in  the  present  instance  ; 
—  the  term,  pX  ,  though  sometimes  used 
lor  the  countenance  or  face  in  general, 
is  never  employed  to  denote  the  forehead, 
but  is  strictly  and  properly  the  nose. 
What  has  lead  to  the  mistake,  has  been 
the  too  close  adherence  to  the  common 
signification  of  ??  i  upon,  whereas  it  also 
admits  in  certain  instances  of  being  ren- 
dered in.  CP'^SS  ,  rings,  so  called  from 
their  circular  form,  from  ^jj-' ,  to  turn 
round,  be  round  (Numb.  xxxi.  50). 

13,  14.  Tiirough  the  Divine  goodness 
the  Hebrew  ])eople  were  most  abundantly 
supplied  with  everything  requisite  both 
for  use  and  ornament.  Their  riches  and 
splendor  far  surpassed  those  of  any  other 
nation.  As  a  kingdom  theirs  was  dis- 
tinguishingly  flourishing  in  the  days  of 
David  and  Solomon,  the  former  of  which 
monarchs  greatly  extended  its  boun- 
daries, and  enriched  it  with  the  spoils 
of  his  victories.  The  theocracy  then 
reached  its  highest  point  of  gloiy,  and 
was  of  great  celebrity  among  the  sur- 
rounding nations  (1  lungs  x).  Still 
they  are  reminded  that  their  prosperity 


and  glory  were  not  owing  to  any  merit 
of  their  own.  It  was  a  "comeliness'* 
whicli  Jehovah,  their  covenant  God,  had 
put  upon  them.  To  his  unmerited 
bounty  they  owed  all  that  they  enjoyed. 
The  Yod  in  "^Od  and  "'ObsX  is  redun- 
dant, and  is  therefore  left  unpointed. 

15.  Beauty  often  proves  a  snare  to 
those  who  possess  it.  Listening  to  flat- 
tery, they  are  easily  drawn  into  the  trap 
that  is  laid  for  them.  The  Jews  were 
proud  of  their  endowments,  and  forget- 
ing  Him  by  whom  these  had  been  be- 
stowed, they  transferred  their  afibctions 
to  other  gods,  and  thus  became  guilty  of 
conjugal  infidelity.  T|'2'^~>?  >  rendered 
by  some  after  the  Vulgate  :  contra  nomen 
tunm,  supposing  the  meaning  to  be,  that 
as  a  wife  is  called  by  the  name  of  her 
husband,  and  that  as  adultery  is  an  act 
committed  against  him  whose  name  she 
bears,  so  the  idolatries  of  the  Hebrews 
were  to  be  viewed  in  reference  to  the 
sacred  name  of  Jehovah  their  God. 
Since,  however,  n^3  is  often  used  in  the 
acceptation  fame,  renown,  celebrity,  it 
seems  more  natural  to  take  it  in  this 
sense  here,  and  to  render  ??  j  propter,  on 
account  of;  teaching,  that  the  Jews  had 
employed  the  renown  which  through  the 
Divine  goodness  they  had  acquired,  as 
a  means  of  seducing  neighboring  nations 
to  commit  spiritual  fornication  The 
proposed  rendering  of  IManger,  "not- 
withstanding thy  renown,"  is  not  to  be 
approved.  The  term  r^MH ,  lewdness, 
fornication,  used  of  idol-worship,  is  pecu- 


82 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XVI.  16-21. 


16  tliat  passed  by ;  his  it  was.  And  thou  didst  take  of  thy  garments 
and  make  for  thyself  patched  high  places,  and  thou  committedst 
lewdness  upon  them,  such  as  never  had  been  and  never  shall  be. 

17  Yea,  thou  didst  take  of  thy  beautiful  jewels  of  my  gold  and  my 
silver,  which  I  had  given  thee,  and  didst  make  for  thyself  images 

18  of  men,  and  committedst  lewdness  with  them.  And  didst  take 
the  garments  of  thine  embroidery,  and  didst  cover  them  ;  and 

19  my  oil  and  my  incense  thou  didst  place  before  them.  Yea,  my 
meat  which  I  gave  thee,  the  flour  and  oil  and  honey  with  which 
I  fed  thee,  thou  didst  place  before  them  for  a  sweet  odor :  and 

20  it  took  place,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah.  And  thou  didst  take 
thy  sons    and  thy  daughters,  which  thou  didst  bear  unto  me, 

21  and  didst  sacrifice  them  to  them  for  food.  Were  thy  lewdnesses 
a  small  matter,  that  thou  didst  sacrifice  my  children,  and  dehver 

22  them  up  to  cause  them  to  pass  through  the  fire  to  them  ?  And 
with  all  thine  abominations  and  thy  lewdnesses,  thou  remember- 
edst  not  the  days  of  thy  youth,  when  thou  wast  naked  and  bare, 


liar  to  Ezckicl.  T^]^"^  >  thy  beauty, 
though  somewhat  distant,  is  unquestion- 
ably the  nominative  to  "^•"l!!"'^'' '  ^'•s  ^f 
was. 

16.  nixb::  'n'i'C^,  patched  hi.jh  places, 
spoken  contemptuously  of  the  temples 
erected  in  honor  of  Astarte,  for  adorn- 
ing which  the  Jewish  females  wove  hang- 
ings, 2  Kings  xxiii.  7.  LXX.  fWw\a 
Pa-Kri.     M:ni  ^^'  !^1'5<?  ^^  ellip'tically 

for  fK'p!':  nV-i  rixn  s<b'  ribxri ,  the  like 

things  have  not  come,  nor  shall  there  be.  So 
atrocious  was  the  conduct  of  God's  an- 
cient people  when  they  apostatized  from 
him.  It  was  altogether  unpai'allelcd  in 
the  past,  as  it  should  be  in  the  future. 

17-21.  Jehovah  asserts  his  propriety 
in  all  the  objects  which  apostate  Judah 
employed  in  the  service  of  idols.  lie 
had  bestowed  them  upon  her  to  be  ap- 
propriated for  his  glory,  but  she  had 
wickedly  prostituted  them  to  his  dis- 
honor. By  "l^J  '''5?^  J  linages  of  men, 
Scholz  and  Havemick  understand  what 
were  worshipped  in  the  idolatrous  ser- 
vice of  phallus,  or  the  membrum  virile, 
which  the  Egyptians  regarded  as  the 
emblem  of  fecundity,  and  which  is  still 
licentiously  worshipped  by  the  Hindoos 


under  the  name  of  lingam.  If  such  be 
the  meaning,  as  probably  it  is,  this  is 
the  only  passage  in  which  any  allusion  is 
made  to  such  abomination  in  the  Bible. 

Compare  the  Arab.  j^S  •>  membrum  geni- 

tale  maris,  penis,  veretrum,  Kamoos.  Not 
only  the  superfluities  of  luxury,  but  the 
productions  of  nature  necessary  for  the 
sustenance  of  life,  and  the  very  children, 
were  devoted  to  the  idols.  Such  prac- 
tices, common  in  the  pagan  world,  were 
equally  in  A'ogue  among  the  Jews  in  the 
worst  periods  of  their  history.  For  the 
burning  of  children  in  honor  of  Moloch, 
see  Deut.  xviii.  10  ;  Ps.  cvi.  37  ;  Jer.  vii. 
31 ;  xix.  5.  That  the  phrase  '^'''^'r/\ 
CN3  ,  to  cause  to  pass  through  the  fire,  ac- 
tually means  to  burn,  and  not,  as  the 
Rabbins  Avould  have  it,  that  the  Jews 
merely  made  the  children  to  pass  through 
the  fire,  uninjured,  as  an  act  of  lustra- 
tion, sec  Gesenius,  Heb.  Lex.  Artie. 
^32 ,  Hiph.  4.  To  such  an  extreme 
of  cruelty  will  men,  from  a  conscious- 
ness of  guilt,  proceed,  with  the  view  of 
propitiating  the  Deity.  Comp.  Micah 
vi.  7.  The  barbarous  and  most  unnat- 
ural practice  of  sacrificing  children  tft 


Chap.  XVI.  21-30.] 


EZEKIEL. 


83 


23 
24 

25 


26 


27 


28 


29 
30 


sprawling  in  thy  blood.  And  it  came  to  pass  after  all  thy  wick- 
edness —  woe,  woe  to  thee,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  —  Thou 
didst  build  a  brothel  and  make  for  thyself  a  high  place  in  every 
street.  At  the  head  of  every  road  thou  didst  build  thy  high 
place,  and  cause  thy  beauty  to  be  abhorred,  and  didst  open  thy 
feet  to  every  one  that  passed  by,  and  multiply  thy  lewdnesses. 
Thou  didst  also  commit  lewdness  with  the  Egyptians  thy  neigh- 
bors, great  of  flesh,  and  multiply  thy  lewdness  to  provoke  me 
to  anger.  And  behold,  I  stretched  my  hand  over  thee,  and 
withheld  thine  allowance,  and  delivered  thee  to  the  will  of  them 
that  hated  thee,  the  daughters  of  the  Philistines  who  were 
ashamed  at  thy  atrocious  way.  And  thou  didst  commit  lewd- 
ness with  the  sons  of  Assyria,  because  thou  wast  insatiable,  yea, 
thou  didst  commit  lewdness  with  them,  but  wast  not  satisfied. 
Thou  didst  also  multiply  thy  lewdness  with  the  land  of  Canaan, 
unto  Chaldea,  yet  even  with  this  thou  wast  not  satisfied.  How 
withered  is  thine  heart,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  since  thou  doest 


idols  was  specially  prcA'alent  among  the 
Pliooniciaris.  The  more  afrgravated  forms 
of  idolatry  are  here  charged  upon  the 
elect  but  apostate  nation. 

22-27.  When  the  Jews  knew  God, 
they  glorified  him  not  as  God,  neither 
were  thankful,  and  in  this  respect  re- 
sembled other  idolaters  (Rom.  i.  21). 
Forgctfulness  of  God  and  his  benefits  is 
the  source  of  all  other  sins.  The  Jews 
became  most  inox'dinatc  in  idolatrous  in- 
dulgences. They  set  no  bounds  to  their 
lust.  -J  (verse  24),  LXX.  o^/cTjua  ivop- 
vik6u,  a.  fornix,  vault,  brotlicl,  place  of 
prostitution :  used  tropically  for  an 
idol-tcmplc.  So  shameless  did  they  be- 
come that  their  beauty,  instead  of  attract- 
ing paramours,  filled  them  with  disgust, 
fl^"^,  an  elevated  place,  equivalent  to 
n?22  ,  so  often  used  in  reference  to  places 
of  idolatrous  worship.  ^'^^  ''?.'}:'■  > 
(ver.  2G),  an  euphemism  to  express  the 
enormity  of  Egyptian  idolatry.  The 
idolatries  of  the  Egy])tians  were  of  the 
grossest  and  most  multifarious  kinds. 
Compare  chap,  xxiii.  20.  I  cannot 
agree  with  Calvin  and  Fairbaim  that 
political  alliances,  and  not  idolatries,  are 
here  intended.     The  connection  is  deci- 


dedly against  such  a  construction.  They 
were  indeed  much  mixed  up  with  each 
other,  and  the  one  naturally  led  to  tlie 
other,  but  the  grosser  of  the  two  evils 
is  here  specifically  referred  to.  nisa 
Cnr^Q  ,  damilitersof  the  Philistines,  their 
descendants,  or  the  inhabitants  of  the 
country  of  the  Philistines,  who  were 
ever  the  indomitable  enemies  of  the  Jews. 
Even  these,  idolatrous  though  they  were, 
could  not  endure  the  licentiousness  of 
the  Jewish  nation.  They  were  contented 
with  their  own  idols,  and  not  adopting, 
like  the  Jews,  those  of  every  other 
country,  consequently  despised  that  peo- 
ple for  their  exorbitancy. 

28,  29.  Not  satisfied  with  adopting 
the  idolatries  of  Egypt,  the  Jews  prac- 
tised those  of  the  more  distant  Assyr- 
ians and  Babylonians.  They  were  per- 
fectly insatiable  in  their  lust.  Their 
idolatry  was  an  amalgamation  of  all  the 
diflferent  forms  which  obtained  in  the 
countries  around  them. 

30.  The  influence  of  sin  on  the  soul  is 
to  render  it  morally  impotent.  Though 
it  may  not  deprive  it  of  the  powers 
which  are  requisite  to  constitute  man  a 
responsible  agent,  it  weakens  his  princi- 


84 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XVI.  30-43. 


31  all  these  tilings  —  the  work  of  a  self-willed  adultress.  In  that 
thou  buiklcst  thy  brothel  at  the  head  of  every  road,  and  construct- 
est  thy  high  place  in  every  street,  and  wast  not  as  a  harlot, 

32  scorning  hire.     An  adultress  under  her  husband,  thou  didst  re- 

33  ccive  strangers.  They  give  a  present  to  all  whores,  but  thou 
givest  thy  gifts  to  all  thy  lovers,  and  hirest  them  to  come  to  thee 

34  from  every  side  to  thy  lewdnesses.  And  there  was  in  thee  the 
contrary  of  women  in  thy  lewdnesses,  in  that  none  followed  thee 
and  in  that  thou  gavest  a  present,  and  no  present  was  given  to 
thee :  in  this  thou  wast  contrary. 

35  Wherefore,  O  harlot,  hear  the  word  of  Jehovah.     Thus  saith  the 

36  Lord  Jehovah  :  Because  thy  copper  is  poured  out,  and  thy  naked- 
ness is  discovered,  through  thy  lewdnesses  with  thy  lovers,  and 
with  all  thine  abominable  idols,  and  through  the  blood  of  thy 

37  children  which  thou  didst  give  to  them ;  Therefore,  behold,  I 
will  collect  all  thy  lovers  to  whom  thou  hast  been  pleasant, 
and  all  them  whom  thou  hast  loved,  in  addition  to  all  whom 
thou  hatedst,  I  will  even  collect  them  round  about  thee,  and 
expose  thy  nakedness  to  them,  and  they  shall  see  all  thy  uaked- 


plcs  of  action,  takes  possession  of  those 
powers,  and  forms  itself  into  habits 
which  the  individual  a,llows  to  grow 
upon  him,  so  that  he  becomes  at  last  in- 
sensible to  the  operation  of  the  strongest 
moral  motives.  '^^?^.  >  icithtrcd,  the 
Pahul  Participle  in  Kal ;  more  commonly 
the  Pulal  't?^  is  employed.  There  is 
no  necessity,  with  Hitzig,  to  point, 
Tjrsb  ""'^s^N  <^9 ,  and  render :  what, 
hope  is  therefor  thy  clauf/hter  ?  ri^-j'^  ,  self- 
willed,  domineering,  imperious,  impudent. 

Compare  the  Arab.  &Ja.AA*u ,  fcmina 
clamosa.     Theodor.  irapprjata^oiu.iyrjs. 

31.  A  repetition  of  verse  24.  The 
idolatries  of  the  Jews  were  not  practised 
for  the  love  of  gain,  but  solely  for  the 
sake  of  the  gratification  which  they 
found  in  them.  To  sin  for  the  mere 
love  of  sin  argues  the  highest  degree  of 
depravity.  ^\^  >  to  scoff,  deride,  with 
reference  to  the  custom  of  prostitutes, 
who  pretend  to  despise  what  is  offered 
them  as  the  price  of  whoredom,  in  order 
that  it  nay  be  raised.  Vulg.  fastidio 
augens  pretium.    For  an  instance  of  bar- 


gaiiijjig  in  such  cases,  see  Gen.  xxxviii. 
16.  The  b  in  'o's^,  is  not  to  be  con- 
nected with  n"''^ri ,  but  with  HiiT  im- 
mediately preceding. 

32.  ^''N  rnn  ,  to  be  under  a  man,  as 
a  married  woman,  in  subjection  to  her 
husband. 

33,  34.  To  aggravate  the  guilt  of  the 
Jews,  they  are  forcibly  represented  as 
acting  contrary  to  other  prostitutes,  by 
hiring  their  paramours,  instead  of  being 
hired  by  them.  In  T(1~^3"ra,  the  pre- 
position 3  indicates  purpose  orintention. 
""'1.3 ,  the  word  here  used  for  gift,  or  the 
price  of  prostitution,  occurs  nowhere  else 
in  the  Hebrew  Bible.  The  3  in  the 
plural  Ti'^37?  following,  is  epenthetic. 
Eoot  fii3 , '0  he  liberal.  Arab,  fjo, 
dispersits,  Uheralisfuit.  Conjug.  v.  liber- 
alem   monstravit  se.  iXJ  ,  fern.    XJ  tXJ  j 

mimificus.  The  conjunction  1  in  ^H^.^ 
TJEn? )  is  inferential. 

35-43.  Now  follow  denunciations  of 
judgment  against  the  Jews  on  account 
of  their  flagitious   conduct.     I   see  no 


Chap.  XVI.  35-43  ] 


E  Z  E  K I E  L , 


38  ness.  And  I  will  judge  thee  as  those  who  commit  adultery  and 
shed  blood  are  judged,  and  I  will  render  to  thee  the  blood  of 

39  anger  and  of  jealousy.  And  I  will  deliver  thee  into  their  hand, 
and  they  shall  demolish  th)-^  brothel,  and  break  down  thy  high 
places,  and  strip  thee  of  thy  garments,  and  take  thy  splendid 

40  jewels,  and  leave  thee  naked  and  bare.  And  they  shall  bring  up 
against  thee  a  company,  and  stone  thee  with  stones,  and  cut  thee 

41  in  2)ieces  with  their  swords.  And  they  shall  burn  thy  houses 
with  fire,  and  execute  judgments  in  thee  in  the  sight  of  many 
women,  and  cause  thee  to  cease  from  whoredom,  and  thou  also 

42  shalt  give  no  hire  any  more.  And  I  will  cause  mine  anger 
against  thee  to  cease,  and  my  jealousy  shall  turn  away  from  thee, 

43  and  I  will  be  at  rest  and  not  be  angry  any  more.  Because  thou 
didst  not  remember  the  days  of  thy  youth,  but  hast  provoked  me 
to  anger  with  all  these,  therefore,  behold  I  also  will  recompense 
thy  way  upon  thine  own  head,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  and  thou 
shalt  not  pi'actise  this  wickedness  in  adition  to  all  thine  abom- 


occasion  to  seek  for  any  other  signifi- 
cation of  rili;n3  (verse  so)  than  the  or- 
dinary one  of  brass,  or  money  consisting 
of  brass  or  copper,  in  allusion  to  the 
lavish  expenditure  of  gifts  as  the  wages 
of  idolatrous  prostitution  (verses  31,  33, 
34)  ;  LXX.  rbc  xaA.K({i/ ;  Vulg.  aes.  Our 
Translators  appear  to  have  obtained  that 
of  Jilthiness  from  the  verdigris  or  green 
crust  wliich  it  contracts.  By  those  whom 
the  Jews  hated  (ver.  37),  are  meant  the 
Edomites,  INIoabites,  and  Ammonites, 
between  whom  and  them  there  existed 
an  implacable  enmity.  It  would  seem, 
from  the  threatening  to  expose  the  naked- 
ness of  the  Jews,  that  an  allusion  is  made 
to  one  of  the  modes  of  punishing  ])rosti- 
tutes  in  ancient  times.  <^^n  Cn  Ti'^riJr?'' 
ilXpp?"!  (ver.  38),  and  I  ivill  give  thee  ike 
blood  of  farjj  and  jealousy,  i.e.  I  will 
furiously  shed  thy  blood,  as  an  enraged 
husband  does  that  of  his  unfaithful  wife 
when  his  jealousy  is  roused.  In  ver.  40, 
the  two  kinds  of  capital  punishment 
authorized  by  the  Mosaic  law  arc  intro- 
duced ;  stoning,  and  killing  with  the 
sword.  Here,  and  in  the  following  verse, 
the  invasion  and  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem by  the  Chaldeans  are  predicted. 
8 


pri2 ,  in  Piel  pPl3 ,  a  on-aj  \iy.  to  hew 
or  cut  in  pieces.  Nt^,  Chaldee  (ver.  43), 
the  same  as  the  Ilcb.  "j'"} ,  behold !  used 
once  besides.  Gen.  xlvii.  23.  The  last 
clause  of  this  verse  is  very  obscure,  but 
the  idea  which  seems  to  be  conveyed  by 
it  is,  that,  corrected  and  reformed  by  the 
judgments  which  were  inflicted  upon  tiie 
Jews,  they  should  not  any  more  perpe- 
trate the  atrocious  wickedness  described 
in  the  preceding  part  of  the  chapter.  ViS 
I  take  in  the  acccj)tation  of  in  addilion 
to.  Moral  evils  of  all  kinds  were  prev- 
alent among  them,  but  it  was  principally 
on  account  of  idolatry  —  emphatically 
nKTn-rX  (compare  Zech.  v.  8,  TXt 
<^^"^"1'7  )  this  is  tuicJcrdness)  —  that  they 
were  punished.  The  Targum,  Jarchi, 
Ivimchi,  and  Rosenmueller  interpret 
nsIT ,  plati  or  purpose,  in  a  good  sense, 
and  suppose  the  meaning  to  be,  that  the 
Jewish  people  did  not  form  the  design 
to  repent  of  all  their  wickedness.  It  is 
true,  i^ST ,  occuring  simply  by  itself, 
may  be  taken  in  a  good  sense,  as  it  ap- 
pears to  be  Job  xvii.  11,  but  the  phrase 
nat  i^bS ,  here  used,  is  never  employed 
in  any  other  sense  than  that  of  commit- 
ting  flagrant  wickedness.     The  inter- 


86 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XVI.  43-46. 


44 


45 


inations.  Behold  every  one  who  gives  utterance  to  proverbs 
shall  utter  a  proverb  against  thee,  saying :  As  is  the  mother,  so  is 
her  daughter.  Thou  art  the  daughter  of  thy  mother  who  loathed 
her  husband  and  her  children ;  and  thou  art  the  sister  of  thy 
sisters    who    loathed    their  husbands  and  their  children  ;  your 


pretation  of  Michaelis  and  Hiivcrnick, 
adopted  by  rairbairn,  appears  to  me  to 
be  exceedingly  forced  :  viz.  that  '^H'^OS 
is  to  be  pointed  "^ri/^b^ ,  and  referred  to 
Jehovah,  on  the  supposition,  that  he 
dechires  he  would  not  act  the  part  of 
the  reckless  parent  who  encouraged  his 
daughter  to  prostitute  herself  (Lev.  xix. 
29). 

43.  Tl'X"!?  is  used  clliptically  for 
7(^-"!5i'"3 ,  which  is  supplied  in  three  MSS. 
at  first  hand,  and  by  the  LXX.,  Syriac, 
and  Vulgate.  Between  this  verse  and 
that  preceding  there  is  no  contradiction. 
There  is  merely  a  resumption  of  the 
threatened  judgment,  with  a  statement 
relative  to  its  happy  result.  The  Jews 
were  no  longer  to  add  to  their  guilt  by 
indulging  in  the  crime  of  idolatry. 

44.  The  Slashal,  or  derisive  proverb, 
here  introduced  is  the  most  sententious 
and  expressive  of  any  used  in  the  Bible. 
In  Hebrew  it  consists  only  of  two  short 
words,  the  former  of  which  is  a  com- 
pound :  <^^3  •"'3^?  >  as  the  mother,  her 
daughter  ;  "3  ,  so,  the  corresponding  par- 
ticle of  comparison,  is,  as  often,  omitted 
for  the  sake  of  brevity.  The  meaning 
is,  that  Jerusalem  had  fully  proved  her- 
self to  be  of  Canaanitish  origin,  as  had 
been  stated,  verse  3. 

45.  46.  How  Samaria  and  Sodom  can 
be  said  to  have  loathed  their  husbaiuls 
and  their  children,  does  not  clearly  ap- 
pear. By  the  Sina'itic  covenant  Jehovah 
was  the  husband  of  Samaria  —  the  rep- 
resentative of  the  ten  tribes,  just  as  much 
as  he  was  of  Jerusalem  —  the  represent- 
ative of  those  of  Judah  and  Benjamin  ; 
but  he  never  stood  in  any  such  relation 
to  Sodom.  Still,  though  we  have  no 
historical  account  of  defection  to  idola- 
try on  the  part  of  the  inhabitants  of  that 
city  previous  to  its  destruction,  yet  as 


that  sin  in  all  probability  was  indulged 
in  by  them,  their  abandonment  of  the 
worship  of  the  true  God  might  be  re- 
garded as  essentially  analogous  to  that 
of  the  covenant  people.  It  was  a  viola- 
tion of  those  sacred  engagements  which, 
as  his  professing  worshippers,  they  had 
come  under.  Or,  if  we  view  Sodom  and 
her  daughter-towns  as  representatives  of 
the  Moabitcs  and  Ammonites  on  the 
east  of  the  Jordan  and  the  Dead  Sea, 
among  whom  a  similar  defection  must 
have  taken  place,  it  will  amount  to  the 
same  thing.  Connected  as  these  peoples 
were  by  collateral  descent  with  the  father 
of  the  faithful,  there  can  be  little  doubt 
that  in  the  patriarchal  age  they  were  wor- 
shippers of  the  true  God,  though  they 
afterwards  apostatized  to  the  worship  of 
Baal-pcor,  Chemosh,  and  Moloch.  In 
the  same  sense  we  are  to  regard  the 
Canaanites  to  whom  the  origin  of  Jeru- 
salem is  traced.  On  the  principle,  now 
generally  admitted,  that  monotheism  was 
prior  to  polytheism,  they  must  originally 
have  been  worshippers  of  the  true  God. 
Melchizcdck,  king  of  Salem,  was  priest 
of  the  Most  High  God  (Gen.  xiv.  18). 
Jehovah,  as  entitled  to  their  supreme 
love,  had  inalienable  claims  upon  them, 
which  they  disowned  when  they  fell  away 
to  idolatry.  By  abandoning  his  service, 
they  obviously  proved  that  they  had  re- 
jected him.  3^'3  signifies  to  abhor,  cast 
off,  reject  with  loathing.  It  argues  the 
highest  pitch  of  reckless  depravity  to 
abhor  the  character  of  the  Infinitely  pure. 
Compare  Geoffrvyels,  Eom.  i.  30.  The 
circumstance  that  the  names  of  the 
fother  and  mother  of  Jerusalem  occur 
here  in  the  inverse  order  of  that  in  which 
they  are  presented  in  ver.  3,  is  not  to  be 
pressed. 

46.    Samai'ia    is    called    the    greater 


Chap.  XVI.  46-51.] 


EZEKIEL. 


87 


46 


47 


48 


49 


50 
51 


mother  was  a  Hittite  and  your  father  an  Amorite.  And  thy  elder 
sister  is  Samaria,  who  dwellcth  at  thy  left  hand,  she  and  her 
daughters ;  and  thy  younger  sister,  who  dwelleth  at  thy  right 
hand,  is  Sodom  and  her  daughters.  Yet  thou  didst  not  walk  in 
their  ways,  nor  act  according  to  their  abominations ;  it  was  only 
a  small  matter ;  but  thou  hast  acted  more  corruptly  than  they  in 
all  thy  ways.  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  Sodom  thy 
sister  hath  not  done,  she  nor  her  daughters,  as  thou  hast  done, 
thou  and  thy  daughters.  Behold,  this  was  the  iniquity  of  thy 
sister  Sodom :  pride,  fulness  of  bread,  and  quiet  security  she  and 
her  daughters  had,  but  she  strengthened  not  the  hand  of  the  poor 
and  needy  ;  But  were  haughty  and  committed  abomination  be- 
fore me  ;  therefore  I  removed  them  according  as  I  saw.  Neither 
had  Samaria  committed  the  half  of  thy  sins,  but  thou  hast  mul- 
tiplied thine  abominations  more  than  they,  and  hast  justified  thy 


ilVilrin  or  elder  sister  of  Jerusalem,  not 
■with  respect  to  age,  for  Jerusalem  ex- 
isted long  prior  to  her  ;  but  in  regard  to 
the  worship  of  the  two  golden  calves 
established  by  Jeroboam  in  that  city. 
As,  in  determining  the  points  of  the 
heavens,  or,  as  we  should  say,  the  com- 
pass, the  Orientals  regarded  the  East  as 
the  principal,  they  always  spoke  of  it  as 
being  D"^"]!^  or  ^"JP. ,  in  front  or  before, 
consequently  i>''N^b,  the  left,  would 
designate  the  North,  just  as  T^'?^ »  the 
right,  would  designate  the  South,  the 
direction  in  which  Sodom  had  lain. 
This  last-named  city  is  said  to  have  been 
•^^i^)3il ,  the  smaller  or  younger  sister  of 
Jerusalem,  principally  in  the  same  moral 
point  of  view  :  her  guilt,  great  as  it  was, 
not  being  to  be  compared,  in  point  of 
aggravation,  with  that  contracted  by 
Jerusalem.  The  kingdom,  too,  of  which 
it  Avas  the  capital,  was  small  compared 
with  that  of  Judah.  The  "  daughters  " 
of  cities,  is  a  term  used  idiomatically  in 
Hebrew,  to  denote  either  their  inhabit- 
ants, or  smaller  cities  and  villages  con- 
nected with,  or  dependent  upon  them. 

ThusNum.xxi.25  ti-^p-'oa-bDa^  "P'^Jnn 

in  Hcslihon  and  in  all  her  daughters,  ren- 
dered by  our  translators  "  in  all  her  vil- 
lages." 


47.  Enormous  as  were  the  sins  of  those 
cities,  they  were  not  in  point  of  guilt  to 
be  compared  with  those  of  Jerusalem, 
which  were  proportionally  enhanced  by 
the  distinguished  spiritual  advantages 
that  her  inhabitants  had  enjoyed.  In 
Jerusalem  were  the  temple,  the  legal  sac- 
rifices, the  priests,  and  the  law.  Before 
it  was  polluted  by  idolatry  Jehovah  was 
worshipped  there  in  the  beauties  of  holi- 
ness. 12)^  ^?'??  >  I  adopt  the  significa- 
tion of  only,  as  attaching  to  ^I^ ,  which 
was  proposed  by  Schultens,  after  the  Arab. 
Jai? ,  duntaxat. 

48-50.  The  two  representative  cities 
are  now  taken  up  singly.  First  Sodom, 
depicted  in  such  dark  chai-actcrs  in  the 
O.  T.  history.  Worldly  prosperity  often 
proves  dangerous  to  the  interests  of  vir- 
tue. It  easily  inflates  its  possessors  with 
pride ;  and,  leading  them  to  abandon 
active  habits  of  life,  superinduces  indul- 
gence in  those  of  idleness,  than  which 
universal  experience  proves  that  nothing 
can  furnish  greater  occasions  to  the  com- 
mission of  sin.  I3|ri^^fl  ^1311' ,  careless 
idleness.  The  latter  word  is  the  Infini- 
tive in  Hiphil  used  substantively.  Eoot 
laj?!;? ,  to  rest,  recline,  he  inactive,  idle. 

51-  '^?'l'?: '  more  than  they,  i.e.  the  in- 
habitants of  Samaria  understood,  as  im- 


88 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XVI.  51-57. 


52  sisters  in  all  thine  abominations  which  thou  hast  done.  Do  thou 
also  bear  thy  reproach,  which  hast  judged  thy  sisters  in  thy  sins 
that  thou  hast  committed  more  abominably  than  they :  they  are 
more  righteous  than  thou :  be  asliamed  then,  also  thou,  and  bear 

53  thy  re{)roach,  in  that  thou  hast  justified  thy  sisters.  And  I  will 
reverse  their  captivity,  the  captivity  of  Sodom  and  her  daughters, 
and  the  captivity  of  Samaria  and  her  daughters,  and  the  cap- 

54  tivity  of  thy  captivities  in  the  midst  of  them  :  In  order  that  thou 
mayest  bear  thy  reproach,  and  be  ashamed  of  all  that  thou  hast 

65  done,  when  thou  comfortest  them.  And  thy  sisters,  Sodom  and 
her  daughters,  shall  return  to  their  former  estate  ;  and  Samaria 
and  her  daughters  shall  return  to  their  former  estate ;  and  thou 

56  and  thy  daughters  shall  return  to  your  former  estate.  And  thy 
sister  Sodom  was  not  a  report  in  thy  mouth  in  the  day  of  thy 


plied  in  the  name  of  the  city.  Two 
MSS.  read  W53?D  ,  titan  she,  the  citij.  In- 
stead of  "ininx  ,  ihj  sisters,  sixty-four 
MSS.,  among  these  many  Spanish,  ori- 
ginally three  more,  and  six  by  correction, 
read  "ninN  ,  thi/  sister,  which  would  ap- 
pear better  to  harmonize  with  the  con- 
text. The  Keri  in  many  MSS.,  as  well 
as  not  a  few  printed  editions,  reads  the 
word  in  the  plural,  wliich  has  also  the 
support  of  the  ancient  versions.  "  To 
justify  the  crimes  of  others  "  is  a  Hebrew 
mode  of  speech,  denoting,  to  make  them 
appear  comparatively  innocent  by  the  side 
of  others,  accompanied  with  much  more 
aggravating-  circumstances. 

53-55.  Here  a  most  unexpected  change 
in  the  scene  takes  place.  Instead  of  ex- 
patiating further  on  the  calamities  to  be 
inflicted  upon  the  guilty,  all  at  once  a 
gracious  promise  of  restoration  is  intro- 
duced. fll30  i^TU ,  to  reverse  a  captivity, 
signifies  to  restore  captives  and  other 
sufferers  to  liberty  and  prosperity ;  sec 
Job.  xlii.  10.  If  the  interpretation  givea 
of  the  three  cities,  Jerusalem,  Samaria, 
and  Sodom,  be  correct,  namely  that  they 
are  to  be  viewed  as  symbolical  of  the 
surrounding  people  whose  centre  they 
formed,  or  with  whom  they  stood  con- 
nected, no  difficulty  will  arise  relative  to 
the  restoration  of  Sodom.    If  we  regard 


her  as  the  representative  of  the  Ammon- 
ites and  Moabites,  the  descendants  of 
Lot,  we  shall  here  have  only  a  parallel 
prediction  to  Jcr.  xlviii.  47  ;  xlix.  6. 
However  obscure  the  lights  of  history 
relative  either  to  the  captivity  or  the 
restoration  of  the  nations  beyond  the 
Dead  Sea,  there  can  be  little  doubt  that 
they  participated  more  or  less  in  the  fate 
of  the  Jews,  to  whose  country  they  lay 
contiguous.  It  was  a  source  of  conso- 
lation to  the  other  apostates  that,  their 
guilt  not  being  so  aggravated  as  that  of 
Jerusalem,  the  piniishment  inflicted  upon 
them  would  not  be  so  severe  (verse  54). 
That  most  of  the  ten  ti'ibes,  of  which 
Samaria  had  been  the  capital,  were  re- 
stored under  Cyrus,  is  now  generally 
admitted.  The  restoration  of  all  the 
three  classes  of  people  is  here  predicted 
to  take  place  at  the  same  time. 

56.  So  haughtily  did  the  Jews  carry 
themselves  during  the  period  of  their 
national  prosperity,  that  they  did  not 
deign  even  to  mention  the  name  of 
Sodom  as  a  warning  example.  ns'iaTH , 
a  report,  anything  heard,  and  supposed, 
from  its  importance,  to  be  repeated  by 
those  who  hear  it. 

57.  By  "  the  reproach  "  of  the  cities 
of  Syria,  was  not  meant  anything  derog- 
atory to  the  character  of  those  cities 


Chap.  XVI.  .-JT-Gl.] 


EZEKIEL, 


89 


57  pride.  Before  thy  wickedness  was  revealed,  as  at  the  time  of 
the  reproach  of  the  daughteis  of  Aram  and  all  that  were  round 
ahout  her,  the  daughters  of  the  Philistines  that  despised  thee 
round  ahout. 

58  Thou    hast    borne    thy    lewdness    and   thine   abominations,    saith 

59  Jehovah.  For  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  I  also  will  act 
towards  thee  as  thou  hast  acted,  because  thou  hast  despised  the 

60  oath,  breaking  the  covenant.  Yet  I  will  remember  my  covenant 
with  thee  in  the  days  of  thy  youth,  and  I  will  establish  for  thee 

61  an  everlasting  covenant.  And  thou  slialt  remember  thy  ways 
and  be  ashamed,  when  thou  receivest  thine  elder  sisters  in  addi- 
tion to  those  who  were  younger  than  thou ;  and  I  will  give  them 

62  to  thee  for  daughters,  but  not  by  thy  covenant.  And  I  will 
establish  my  covenant  with  thee,  and  thou  shalt  know  that  I  am 


nationally  considered,  but  the  indignity 
offered  by  the  Syrians  to  the  Jews,  when, 
under  Rezin,  they  invaded  the  land  of 
Judah  (2  Kings  xv.  37  ;  Isa.  vii.  1-9). 
That  this  is  the  construction  to  be  put 
upon  the  words  is  evident  from  the  par- 
allelism, in  the  corresponding  member 
of  which  the  manner  in  which  the  Jews 
had  been  treated  by  the  Philistines  is 
mentioned.  Compare  for  the  insults 
offered  by  both  Isa.  ix.  11,  12. 

58,  59.  m'3s;n";   na:   xbD,  to  hear 

lewdness  and  abominations,  means  to  suflcr 
the  punishment  due  to  them.  All  the 
sufferings  inflicted  by  the  neighboring 
nations  were  rctributively  imposed  upon 
them  on  account  of  their  violation  of  the 
saered  engagements  of  the  national  cov- 
enant. Jehovah  employed  the  nations 
as  his  instruments  in  punishing  them. 

60,  61.  Though  the  Jews  had  acted 
most  perfidiously  towards  their  covenant 
God,  and  he  might  jvxstly  have  cast  them 
off  for  ever,  yet  in  remembrance  of  his 
ancient  covenant  with  them,  ratified  at 
Sinai,  when  he  solemnly  pledged  him- 
self to  be  their  God,  he  promises  still  to 
have  compassion  upon  them.  They  were 
again  to  be  i-estorcd  to  their  own  land, 
but  it  was  not  so  much  that  they  might 
enjoy  the  temporal  advantages  of  the  old 
covenant,  as  that  he  might  confer  upon 


them  the  spiritual  blessings  of  the  new, 
to  be  ratified,  while  they  were  in  that  re- 
stored condition,  by  the  death  of  Mes- 
siah. That  this  is  the  covenant  else- 
where called  "  the  everlasting  covenant," 
see  2  Sam.  xxiii.  5 ;  Isa.  Iv.  3 ;  Ezek. 
xxxvii.  26,  and  which,  as  here,  is  con- 
trasted with  the  Sinauie  (Jer.  xxxi. 
31-34).  Those  who  were  to  share  with 
Jerusalem  the  spiritual  benefits  of  the 
new  covenant  were  to  be  brought  into 
relation  to  her  —  not  in  virtue  of  any 
princi]jles  involved  in  that  established  at 
Sinai,  but  solely  in  virtue  of  those  be- 
longing to  the  Messianic.  T|\^'^13 »  thy 
covenant,  is  the  Genitive  of  object,  the 
covenant  made  with  thee,  for  thy  bene- 
fit—  the  national  covenant.  The  New 
Jerusalem  was  henceforth  to  be  the 
mother  of  all  believers,  whether  Jews  or 
Gentiles  (Gal.  iv.  26) ;  and  the  calling 
of  the  last-named  division  of  the  human 
family  is  virtually  here  included.  I 
must  demur  to  the  statements  of  Calvin, 
adopted  by  Havernick  and  Fairbairn, 
who  represent  the  old  covenant  to  be 
the  fountain-head  of  tlie  new,  and  that 
they  were  well-nigh  the  same  in  sub- 
stance, though  different  in  form.  So  far 
indeed  as  the  tyj^ical  aspects  of  the  for- 
mer dispensation  are  concerned,  they 
unquestionably  had  respect  to  the  bless- 


90 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XTII.  1,  2. 


63  Jehovah.  That  thou  mayest  remember,  and  be  ashamed,  and 
there  shall  be  no  more  to  thee  an  opening  of  the  mouth  on  ac- 
count of  thy  shame,  when  I  am  reconciled  to  thee  in  reference  to 
all  that  thou  hast  done,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah. 


ings  of  the  gospel.  But  these  aspects 
did  not  essentially  belong  to  that  cove- 
nant. They  were  merely  a  corollary  or 
appendage,  introduced  into  it  for  the 
purpose  of  illustrating  the  promise  given 
in  the  Abrahamic  covenant,  which  still 
remained,  and  ran  parallel  with  the  law, 
unaffected  by  its  introduction  four  hun- 
di-ed  and  thirty  years  afterwards  (Gal. 
iii.  17).  The  new  dispensation,  there- 
fore, had  a  more  ancient  origin  than  that 
of  Moses,  and  was  established  on  better 
promises.  Along  with  the  old  cove- 
nant, the  language  of  which  was  :  "  Do 
this,  and  thou  shalt  live,"  there  existed 
another,  the  language  of  which,  illus- 
trated by  the  legal  sacrifices  pointing 
forward  to  the  all-perfect  atonement  of 


our  Saviour,  was  :  "  Believe,  and  thou 
shalt  be  saved."  It  was  this  arrange- 
ment of  mercy,  distinct  from,  though 
incorporated  with,  the  ancient  economy, 
which  secured  the  eternal  happiness  of  be- 
lievers previous  to  the  advent  of  Messiah. 
G3.  Nothing  can  be  conceived  of  more 
calculated  to  produce  feelings  of  deep 
penitential  shame  and  sorrow,  than  the 
supcrabounding  mercy  of  the  Most  High 
manifested  towards  his  rebellious  and 
guilty  creatures.  Contrasting  the  base- 
ness of  their  conduct  with  His  infinite 
compassion  and  love,  their  former  self- 
boasting  is  cut  off,  and,  lying  low  in  the 
dust  before  Him,  they  can  open  their 
lips  only  in  celebration  of  the  riches  of 
His  grace. 


CHAPTER   XVII. 


This  chapter  contains  a  parable  of  two  eagles  and  a  vine,  1-10;  the  explanation  of  the 
parable  witli  application  to  the  Ijiiigs  of  Babylon  and  Egypt,  and  the  fate  of  the  Icing- 
dora  of  Judali  in  reference  to  them,  11-21;  and  concludes  with  a  parabolic  representa- 
tion of  the  Messiah,  and  of  the  origin,  universality,  and  prosperity  of  liis  kingdom,  in 
language  borrowed  from  the  preceding,  22-24. 

"  From  the  beauty  of  its  images,  the  elegance  of  its  composition,  tlie  perspicuity  of  its 
language,  the  rich  variety  of  its  matter,  and  the  easy  transition  from  one  part  of  the 
subject  to  anotlier,  this  chapter  forms  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  perfect  pieces  of  its 
kind  that  can  possibly  be  conceived  in  so  small  a  compass."  —  Smith  en  the  Prophets. 

The  place  in  point  of  time  assignable  to  this  prophecy  lies  between  the  sixth  month  of  the 
sixtli  year  of  the  reign  of  Zedekiah,  and  the  fifth  month  of  the  seventh  year  after  the 
carrying  away  of  Jehoiachin  to  Babylon;  consequently  five  years  before  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem  by  the  Chaldeans. 

1  And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying  :  Son  of  man, 

2  projDose  a  riddle,  and  use  a    simile  to    the    house    of   Israel  ; 

2.   •T^"'!!    ^^n,    propose    an    cnitjma.     Agreeably  to  this  etymology,  enigmas 

Comp.  Judges  xiv.  12,  13,  14;  1  Kings     are  sharp,  pointed,  and  penetrating;  they 

X.  1;  Psalmxlix.  5;  Ixxviii.  2 ;  and  the    are  powerfully  calculated  to  excite  atten- 

,     ,      >*•  .  ^     .      tion,  whet  the  intellect  of  the  hearer  or 

Arab.  Jl^  ,  acmt.acutus  fuit ;  2a  Com.     ^„„,i„„    „„,i  „        ^      i,  ,>      • 

^"^^ :  >  y      '  J      reader,  and  more  fixedly  secure  the  m- 

cXjlXsXJ)    acutum   reddidit,   exacuit.     vestigation  of  the  subject.      They  arc 


Chap.  XVII.  2-4.] 


EZEKIEL. 


91 


And  say  :  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  The  great  eagle,  great 
of  wings,  long  of  pinion,  full  of  feathers  of  various  colors,  came 
to  Lebanon  and  took  the  foliage  of  the  cedar.  He  broke  off  the 
topmost  branch,   and    brought  it  to  the  land  of  merchants ;  he 


artificial  and  obscure,  and  express  things 
in  a  sense  different  from  tliat  whicli  the 
words,  talx^en  in  tlieir  literal  acceptation, 
would  imply.  Among  other  figures  of 
speech  by  which  they  arc  distinguished, 
prosopopccia  predominates.  They  are 
likewise  marked  by  ingeniousness  of 
thought  and  aptitude  of  expression.  The 
truths  or  facts  to  which  they  relate,  lie 
not  upon,  but  under  the  surface.  Scrip- 
ture-enigmas differ  from  fable,  inasmuch 
as  they  teach  not  fictions,  but  real  facts. 
They  are  not,  like  ordinary  riddles, 
designed  to  puzzle  and  perplex,  but  to 
instruct. 

In  the  instance  before  us,  as  likewise 
in  Prov.  i.  6 ;  Ps.  xlix.  5  ;  Ixxviii.  2, 
n~"'n  and  ^'C^  are  classed  together  as 
synonymous.  The  only  shade  of  differ- 
ence in  meaning  between  them  is,  that 
while  the  former  has  respect  to  the 
obscurity,  the  latter  regards  the  figu- 
rative traits  by  which  the  composition 
is  characterized,  and theimpression  which 
its  diversified  imagery  is  calculated  to 
produce  on  the  mind. 

3,  4.  The  eagle  was  an  apposite  sym- 
bol of  royalty  —  that  bird  being  the  king 
of  all  the  feathered  tribes,  distinguished 
for  its  majestic  size,  its  great  perspi- 
cacity, its  indomitable  courage,  the 
rapidity  of  its  motion,  and  its  resistless 
powers  of  attack.  It  had  been  employed 
by  Jeremiah  with  reference  to  the  king 
of  Babylon,  chaps,  xlviii.  40 ;  xlix.  22 ; 
and  Daniel  gives  the  wings  of  the  eagle 
to  the  body  of  the  lion  when  symboli- 
cally portraying  the  same  power,  chap. 
vii.  4.  Compare  Comment,  on  Ezek.  i. 
From  the  predominance  of  the  head  and 
wings  of  the  eagle  as  symbolical  of 
kingly  power  in  the  Assyrian  monu- 
ments lately  discovered  at  Nineveh,  it 
is  evident  the  Jewish  captives  must  have 
been  familiar  with  the  symbol ;  and  con- 


sidering the  history  of  the  times,  they 
could  have  been  at  little  loss  to  perceive 
to  whom  the  symbol  was  designed  specifi- 
cally to  apply.      The  "Avings,"  described 
as  "  great  and  long,"  characterized  the 
extent  of  monarchical  power,  including 
the  army;  and  the  "divers  colors,"  the 
vai-ious  nations,   tribes,  and   languages 
over  which   that  power  was  extended. 
The    spread    of    the    eagle's   wings    is 
sometimes  not  less  than  seven  feet  six 
inches.       "  Lebanon,"  being  one  of  the 
most  remarkable  mountains  of  Palestine, 
is  used  symbolically  to  denote  the  whole 
country,  and  especially  Jerusalem  as  the 
capital.      The  "  cedar  "  for  which  that 
mountain  has  long  been  distinguished, 
was  symbolical  of  kingly  majesty,  gran- 
deur, and  power,  (see  on  chap.  xxxi.  3, 
and   Dan.  iv.   10-12).      The   "highest 
branch  "  betokens  the  royal  or  reigning 
family,  and  J^^Jsri  , "  the  top  of  the  young 
twigs,"  the   youngest  and  most  tender 
member  of  that  family.    f^~^"-l  5  is  a  word 
peculiar   to   Ezekiel,   who,   besides   the 
present  passage,  employs  it  in  ver.  22 ; 
and  chap.  xxxi.  3, 10, 14.      It  is  derived 
from  ^i^  ,  to  cut  off,  as  wool  in  sheep- 
shearing;   hence  it  came  to  signify  the 
fleece,  and  transferred  to  trees,  the  curly, 
fleecy,  or  woolly  part  of  the  branches. 
Jchoiachin,  to  whom  reference  is  here 
symbolically  made,  Avas   only   eighteen 
years  of  age,  when  he  assumed  the  reins 
of  government  (2  Kings  xxiv.  8).      Not 
only  was  the  country  of  Babylon  famous 
for  its  transport-traffic  by  means  of  the 
Euplirates,  but  the  city  itself  was  cele- 
brated for  its  manuiacturing   and  mer- 
cantile establishments.     Prom  the  con- 
nection  of  Babylon    with   the   Persian 
Gulf,  the  commerce  carried  on  between 
that   city   and   India    must   have  been 
immense.     The  term  k"?  >  is  here  to  be 
understood  according  to  the  explanation 


92 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XVII.  5-10. 


placed  it  in  a  trafficking  city.  And  he  took  of  the  seed  of  the 
land,  and  set  it  in  a  field  of  seed  ;  he  took  it  beside  great  waters, 
he  set  it  as  a  willow.  And  it  sprouted  and  became  a  spreading 
vine,  of  low  stature  ;  its  branches  turned  towards  him,  and  its 
roots  were  under  him ;  and  it  became  a  vine,  and  produced 
branches,  and  shot  forth  beautiful  twigs. 
And  there  was  another  great  eagle  with  great  wings  and  much 
plumage  ;  and  behold,  this  vine  bent  her  roots  towards  him,  and 
shot  forth  her  branches  towards  him  from  the  terraces  of  her 
plantation,  that  he  might  water  her.  She  was  jDlanted  in  a  good 
soil  by  great  waters,  that  she  might  produce  branches  and  bear 
fruit,  to  become  a  goodly  vine.  Say :  Thus  saith  the  Lord 
Jehovah  :  Shall  she  prosper  ?  Shall  he  not  pluck  up  her  roots, 
and  cut  off  her  fruit,  that  she  may  wither,  that  all  her  fresh 
foliage  may  wither  ?   yet  not  with  great  power,  nor  with  much 


which  follows  of  the  country  and  metro- 
polis of  the  Babylonians. 

5.  ^'"^^f^  ^'^"  '  '^'^  seed  of  the  land,  means 
what  wc  should  call  "a son  of  the  soil," 
as  distinguished  from  a  foreigner.  On 
the  removal  of  Jchoiachin,  the  king  of 
Babylon  did  not  choose  a  Chaldean  or 
other  foreign  general  to  succeed  him  as 
stadtholder,  but  his  uncle  Zedckiah  of 
the  royal  Davidie  family.  HJ^  with 
Kamets  to  distinguish  it  from  rif? ,  the 
Imperative,  and  abbreviated  for  nj^?  ,  he 
took.  nB:iS:i  occurs  only  here,  and  is 
desginated  by  Winer  :  perobscurum. 
Judging  from  the  form  «^^H?n  ,  derived 
from  ?^n  ,  it  is  most  natural  to  refer  the 
word  to  vj^i£  >  to  flow,  overflow,  and  to 
regard  it  as  designating  some  plant  or 
tree  noted  for  its  fondness  for  water. 
The  Rabbinical  interpretation  willow, 
derives  confirmation  from  the  Arabic 
oL«Ai.»fl  5  salix  (seeKitto,  Art.  Tz apii- 
TZAPiiA.  In  poetic  style  ^ ,  like,  is  fre- 
quently omitted.  The  comparison  of 
Zedekiah  to  a  willow  is  anything  but 
honorable  to  him.  Though  there  were 
no  D'^an  d"i53  in  Palestine  to  be  compared 
with  those  of  the  Euphrates,  yet  the 
language  may  also  be  applied  to  that 
country  in  consideration  of  the  abun- 
dance of  water  with  which  it  was  supplied. 


Compare  Deut.  viii.  7,  and  vSaTa  ttoWo., 
John  iii.  23.  There  is  no  departure 
from  the  propriety  of  the  figure  in  repre- 
senting the  vine  as  growing  in  low  watery 
places.  It  is  not  uncommon  in  France 
and  Italy  to  plant  vines  in  sucli  a  situa- 
tion, in  which  they  trail  or  creep  along 
the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  of  course 
quite  contrast  with  those  which  grow  up 
along  walls  or  are  supported  by  trees. 
The  vine  was  also  cultivated  in  Egypt 
in  the  low  lands  covered  with  the  mud 
of  the  Nile.  The  subjection  of  Zedckiah 
to  Nebuchadnezzar  is  significantly  ex- 
pressed by  his  being  turned  towards  him ; 
while  he  continued  faithful  as  his  vassal, 
though  he  never  rose  to  any  elevation, 
yet  the  affairs  of  the  kingdom  went  on 
peaceably,  and  the  subjects  increased 
rather  than  diminished. 

7.  The  other  symbolical  eagle,  to 
whose  description  the  parable  now  pro- 
ceeds, was  Pharaoh,  king  of  Egypt.  He 
was  also  a  monarch  of  great  power,  and 
ruled  over  many  diflTcrent  nations.  Tired 
of  subjection  to  the  king  of  Babylon, 
Zedekiah  applied  to  Pharaoh  in  the  hope 
that  he  would  send  an  army  to  establish 
the  independence  of  his  throne. 

8-10.  If  Zedekiah  had  maintained  his 
fidelity   to   Nebuchadnezzar,  there  was 


Chap.  XVII.  10-15.] 


EZEKIEL. 


m 


10 


11 

12 


13 


14 


peo})le  to  carry  her  away  from  her  roots.  And,  behold,  being 
planted,  shall  she  prosper  ?  Shall  she  not,  when  the  east  wind 
toucheth  her,  utterly  wither  ?  in  the  terraces  of  her  jilautation  she 
shall  wither.  And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying: 
Say  now  to  the  rebellious  house  :  Know  ye  not  what  these  things 
mean  ?  Say  :  Behold,  the  king  of  Babylon  came  against  Jeru- 
salem, and  captured  her  king  and  her  princes,  and  conveyed 
them  to  liimself  to  Babylon.  And  he  took  of  the  seed  royal, 
and  made  a  covenant  with  him,  and  caused  him  to  enter  into  an 
oath  ;  and  he  took  away  the  mighty  men  of  the  land,  that  the 
kingdom  might  become  depressed,  and  not  raise  itself  up,  but 


nothing  to  threaten  a  reverse  in  the 
affairs  of  his  government,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  the  prosiiect  of  increasing-  pros- 
perity. By  his  perfidy,  however,  the 
hopes  of  the  nation  were  entirely  blasted, 
and  its  destruction  efibcted.  Michaelis, 
supposing  that  the  l^ing  of  Babylon  must 
have  brought  a  large  army  against  Jeru- 
salem when  he  captured  it  in  the  tiine  of 
Zedekiiih,  suspects  the  nciiative  5<5  in 
the  sentence  ^7  Dyni  nbilj  i'i-iTa-xb) 
(vcr.  9),  but  finding  his  conjecture  not 
substantiated  by  any  MS.  authority,  he 
translates  agreeably  to  the  printed  Hebrew 
text.  Havernick  appears  to  have  stum- 
bled at  the  same  dithculty,  and  endeavors 
to  get  over  it  by  referring  the  agent  to 
Pharaoh,  and  not  to  Nebuchadnezzar. 
To  this  construction,  however,  which  is 
forced  and  unnatural,  we  are  not  necessi- 
tated, since  there  is  nothing  in  the  shape 
of  historical  evidence  to  show  that  any 
great  military  demonstration  was  made 
at  the  final  taking  of  Jerusalem  by  the 
eastern  conqueror.  In  all  probability,  a 
division  of  the  ('haldean  army  which 
had  raised  the  siege  of  Jerusalem,  re- 
mained on  the  frontiers  of  Egypt  to 
watch  the  movements  of  the  Egyptian 
troops,  while  those  who  returned  found 
it  no  difficult  task  to  gain  the  victory 
over  the  disai)pointed  and  helpless  in- 
habitants of  the  Jewish  metropolis.  Sv  e 
Jer.  xxxvii.  niX»^'^3 ,  the  Infinitive 
in  Kal,  with  the  performative  ^  after  the 
Chaldee  manner,  and  m ,  agreeably  to 


the  ending  of  verbs  fl?.  The  fj''"' 
D^"7)^  >  test  iciiul,  proving  noxious  to  veg- 
etation in  Palestine,  is  here  fitly  employed 
as  a  symbol  of  the  Chaldean  army,  which 
came  from  that  quarter.  It  was  only 
necessary  to  bring  that  army  into  contact 
with  the  Jewish  state,  in  order  to  effect  its 
ruin.  The  interrogatory  repetition  in 
ver.  10  of  the  declaration  made  in  vcr.  9 
is  singularly  forcible. 

1 1 .  The  prophet  is  instructed  to  furnish 
an  explanation  of  the  preceding  parable, 
that  the  refractory  Jews  might  be  without 
excuseif  they  persevered  in  their  courseof 
disobedience  against  the  clearly  revealed 
will  of  Jehovah. 

12-14.  The  Jews  are  here  reminded  of 
the  plain  matter  of  fact,  that  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, represented  by  the  former  of  the 
two  eagles,  had  taken  away  Jehoiachin 
and  his  princes  captives  to  Babylon,  and 
having  made  Zedekiah  SM'car  fealty  to 
him,  placed  him  as  his  vassal  on  the 
•Jewish  throne,  in  the  room  of  his  nephew. 
He  had  thereby  evinced  how  completely 
the  Jews  who  remained  in  the  land  were 
in  his  power,  but  at  the  same  time  also 
his  disposition  to  preserve  their  existence 
as  a  state,  however  humbled,  if  only 
they  remained  faithful  to  the  contract 
(2  Chron.  xxxvi.  10-13). 

1.5  Though,  as  Scholz  remarks,  we 
have  no  account  of  this  mission  to  the 
king  of  Egypt  anywhere  else  in  the  Jew- 
ish records,  we  may  rest  satisfied  with 
the  testimony  of  Ezekiel,  who  was  a  con- 


94  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  [Chap.  XVII.  15-24. 

15  that  it  might  keep  his  covenant  and  stand.  But  he  rebelled 
against  him,  and  sent  his  ambassadors  to  Egypt,  that  they  might 
grant  him  horses  and  much  people.  Shall  he  prosper  ?  shall  he 
be  delivered  who  doeth  these  things  ?  yea,  shall  the  breaker  of 

16  a  covenant  be  delivered?  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah, 
surely  in  the  place  of  the  king  who  made  him  king,  whose  oath 
he  despised,  and  whose  covenant  he  brake,  he  shall  die  with  him 

17  in  the  midst  of  Babylon.  Neither  shall  Pharaoh  with  his  great 
army  and  great  company  act  with  him  in  the  war,  when  the 
mounts  are  thrown  up,  and  the  towers  built,  to  cut  off  many 

18  persons  :  Because  he  desjiised  the  oath  by  breaking  the  cove- 
nant, though,  behold,  he  had  given  his  hand  and  done  all  these 

19  things,  he  shall  not  escape.  Therefore  thus  saith  the  Loi'd 
Jehovah  :  As  I  live,  surely  mine  oath  that  he  hath  despised  and 
my  covenant  that  he  hath  broken,  even  it  I  will  recompense 

20  upon  his  own  head.  And  I  will  spread  my  net  over  him,  and  he 
shall  be  taken  iu  my  snare,  and  I  will  bring  him  to  Babylon,  and 
will  plead  with  him  there  for  liis  trespass  which  he  hath  tres- 

21  passed  against  me  :  And  all  his  fugitives  in  all  his  wings  shall 
fall  by  the  sword,  and  those  who  remain  shall  be  scattered  to 
every  quarter ;  and  ye  shall  know  that  I  Jehovah  have  spoken  it. 

temporary.     Here  again  the  use  of  the  as  it  still  is  in  the  East,  and  among  our- 

intciTogative  gives  force  to  the  style  of  selves,  a  pledge  of  agreement  or  fidelity 

the  prophet.       Egypt  was  celebrated  in  (2  Kings  x.  I.");  Ezra  x.  19  ;  Jer.  1.  1.5). 

ancient    times    for  its    breed  of  horses.  Zedcliiah  is  charged  with  having  proved 

According  to  Diod.  Sic.  (i. 45),  the  whole  faithless  to   the  oath   and  covenant  of 

region   from    Thebes   to   Memjihis  was  Jehovah  ;  because  in  pledging  his  fealty 

filled  with  royal  stalls,  and  such  was  the  to  the  king  of  Babylon  he  did  it  by  a 

abundance  of  horses,  that  no  fewer  than  solcnm  appeal  to  the  God  of  the  Jews 

twenty  thousand  chariots,  each  having  (2  Chron.  xxxvi.  13).     The  threatening 

two,  could  be  furnished  in  time  of  war.  denounced  against  him  was  fulfdled  five 

It  was,  therefore,  natural  for  Zcdckiah  years  afterwards  by  his  being  carried  away 

to   turn   to   that  quarter  for  aid,  and,  captive  to  Babylon,  where  he  died  in 

considering   the  hostile  attitude  of  the  prison.    Jer.  lii.  8-11.   Instead  of  "■n" 3^ 

two  great  empires,  he  might  reasonably  or  1''r:"2T2  ,   his   fugitives,  the  Syr.  and 

expect  that  his  application  would  not  be  Chald.  appear  to  have  read  1'''^ri2'2  ,  /ds 

made  in  vain.  clioire  ones,  i.e.   his  nobles  or  generals. 

17.  The  Pharaoh  here  referred  to  was  The  accomplishment  of  this  thrcaten- 

Pharaoh-IIophra,  known  to  the  Greeks  ing  would  furnish  an  indubitable  proof 

by  the  name  of  Apries  or  Vaphres,  and  of  the  divine  authority  of  the  j)rophet. 
supposed   to  be  Psamatik   III.  of  the        22-24.  In  striking  contrast  with  the 

Egyptian  monuments.     He  was  the  sue-  Lord's  dealing  with  Zedekiah  in  the  way 

cessorof  Pharaoh-Necho.  See  Comment,  of  judgment,  which  was  calculated   to 

on  Jer.  xliv.  30.  sink  the  hopes  of  the  church  to  the  very 

18-21.  1^  "iHS ,  to  give  the  hand,  was,  lowest  ebb,  is  here  unexpectedly  intro- 


CnAP.  XVII.  22-24.] 


EZEKIEL. 


95 


22  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  I  will  also  take  of  the  highest  branch 
of  the  lofty  cedar,  and  will  set  it ;  from  the  top  of  its  young 
twigs  I  will  cut  off  a  tender  one,  and  will  plant  it  upon  a  moun- 
tain hidi  and  eminent ;  In  a  lofty  mountain  of  Israel  will  I 
plant  it,  and  it  shall  produce  boughs,  and  bear  fruit,  and  become 
a  magnificent  cedar,  and  under  it  shall  dwell  every  bird  of  every 
wing  ;  in  the  shadow  of  its  branches  shall  they  dwell.  And  all 
the  trees  of  the  field  shall  know  that  I  Jehovah  have  laid  low 
the  high  tree,  have  raised  on  high  the  low  tree  ;  have  dried  up 
the  green  tree,  and  have  made  the  di-y  tree  to  flourish.  I  Jehovah 
have  spoken,  and  will  do  it. 


23 


24 


duced  a  parabolic  prophecy  relating  to 
the  ^Icssiah,  and  to  the  universality  and 
prosperity  of  his  kingdom.  That  this 
prophecy  is  strictly  Messianic,  Ilitzig, 
Ewald,  and  other  irec-thinking  expositors 
have  been  compelled  to  acknowledge. 
Indeed  the  language  of  the  parable  is  so 
plain,  that  there  was  no  necessity,  as 
there  was  in  regard  to  the  preceding,  to 
add  any  explanation.  It  is  passing 
strange  that  Grotius  should  have  adopted 
the  idea  advanced  by  some  of  the  Rab- 
bins, that  Zerubbabel  is  the  person  in- 
tended. He  never  reigned  as  king,  but 
was  merely  the  Persian  stadtholder.  Nor 
could  the  prophecy  by  any  possibility 
apply  to  the  Asmonean  princes,  for  they 
were  of  the  tribe  of  Levi,  and  not  of  the 
family  of  David,  which  is  here  recognized. 
The  Rabbins,  Jarehi,  Abendana,  and 
Abarbanel,  expressly  declare  in  favor  of 
the  Messianic  interpretation. 

22.  By  rt'S'nn  nxn ,  the  Iqftii  cedar, 
is  meant  the  Davidic  family,  which,  how- 
ever treated  with  indignity,  and  tram- 
pled in  the  dust  by  Nebuchadnezzai;, 
occupied  a  high  place  in  the  divine 
counsels,  and  was  destined  to  rise  to 
greater  dignity  than  any  mere  earthly 
power.  As  the  highest  branch  was  the 
furthest  from  the  roots,  the  reference  is 
to  the  remote  descendants  of  the  royal 
family,  and  the  tvnder  one  beautifully  sym- 
bolizes the  Messiah  as  the  ^1:^ ,  shoot, 


and  the  "1^3 ,  sproirf,  predicted  Isa.  xi.  1. 
The  "  high  and  eminent  mountain  "  was 
Zion,  Ps.  ii.  6.  It  is  here  described  as 
the  mountain  of  the  height  of  Israel,  as 
at  chap.  XX.  40,  in  reference  to  Jerusa- 
lem, which  at  the  time  of  the  Messiah's 
advent  was  to  be  what  it  had  been,  the 
centre  of  all  the  tribes,  who,  restored  to 
their  land,  would  go  up  again  to  the 
festivals,  as  they  had  done  before  the 
revolt.  It  derived  its  chief  glory,  how- 
ever, from  its  being  destined  to  become 
the  spot  where  the  spiritual  kingdom  was 
to  be  established,  and  whence  it  was  to 
extend  its  blessings  throughout  the  whole 
world.  The  imagery  in  this  parable  is 
borrowed  fi'om  what  the  prophet  had 
employed  in  reference  to  the  cedar  of 
Lebanon  (ver.3).  How  despicable  soever 
the  kingdom  of  Christ  may  appear  to  a 
worldly  mind,  and  however  small  it  Avas 
at  its  commencement,  it  is  truly  prolific ; 
and,  while  all  the  glory  of  earthly  king- 
doms fades  and  perishes,  it  affords  refuge 
and  nourishment  to  men  of  every  color 
and  eveiy  clime.  Universal  history 
proves  that  it  is  Jehovah  who  ruleth  in 
the  kingdom  of  men,  and  giveth  it  to 
whomsoever  he  Avill,  debasing  the  proud 
and  exalting  the  humble,  agreeably  to  the 
predictions  uttered  by  his  servants  the 
prophets.  Y'3  ,  tree,  is  used  here,  as  in 
chap.  xxi.  15,  figuratively  of  a  prince  or 
ruler. 


96 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XVIII.  1,  2. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

This  chapter  contains  a  vindication  of  tlic  rectitude  of  the  divine  government  against  an 
impious  imputation  to  the  contrary  alleged  by  the  unbelieving  Jews.  Jehovah  begins  ^ 
by  quoting  a  proverbial  maxim  current  among  them,  to  the  effect,  that  they  were  suffer- 
ing not  on  account  of  their  own  sins,  but  of  those  of  their  fathers,  1-4;  the  impartiality 
of  the  divine  conduct  is  then  illustrated  by  supposing  a  variety  of  instances :  the  first, 
that  of  a  righteous  father,  5-9;  the  second,  that  of  a  wicked  son  of  a  righteous  father, 
10-13;  the  third,  that  of  a  righteous  son  of  a  wicked  father,  14-18;  the  fourth,  that  of 
a  wicked  son  wlio  repents,  19-23;  and  the  fifth,  that  of  a  righteous  man  who  deflects 
from  a  course  of  rectitude,  24.  The  chapter  concludes  witli  a  summing  up  of  the  argu- 
ment, 25-29,  and  an  application  of  the  whole  to  the  case  of  the  Jews  individually  — 
earnestly  urging  upon  them  the  necessity  of  personal  repentance  as  the  only  means  of 
securing  immunity  from  punishment,  30-32. 

The  whole  is  a  noble  piece  of  just  reasoning  on  a  subject  of  immense  importance  in  relation 
to  God's  moral  government. 

1  And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying :  Wherefore  do 

2  you  use  this  proverb  respecting  the  land  of  Israel,  saying  :  The 
fathers  have  eaten  sour  grapes,  and  the  teeth  of  the  children  are 


1.  Th's  chapter  connects  intimately 
with  the  preceding.  The  happy  state  of 
things  under  the  reign  of  Messiah  had 
jnst  been  touched  upon,  and  here  it  is 
convincingly  shown  that  in  punishing 
the  Jewish  nation  Jehovah  was  acting 
on  the  strictest  principles  of  rectitude, 
and  that  without  individual  repentance 
no  hope  could  be  entertained  of  partici- 
pating in  the  blessings  of  the  new  dis- 
pensation. 

2.  From  this  verse,  and  from  chap. 
xii.  22,  23,  it  appears  that  in  the  days 
of  the  prophet  the  Jews  were  accus- 
tomed to  wrap  up  their  infidel  objections 
in  sententious  sayings,  which  they  ban- 
died about  from  one  to  another.  The 
import  of  the  proverb  before  us  is,  that 
the  teeth  of  the  fathers  who  ate  the  sour 
grapes  should  have  been  set  on  edge,  and 
not  those  of  their  children  who  had  not 
partaken  of  them  ;  in  other  words,  that 
while  the  guilty  had  been  suffered  to 
escape,  the  punishment  had  fallen  upon 
the  innocent.  There  is,  in  fact,  couched 
in  the  language,  the  same  spirit  of  self- 
righteousness  for  which,  notwithstanding 
their  national  and  personal  guilt,  the 
Jews  were  ever  distinguished,  with 
the  additional  aggravation  of  impiously 


charging  God  with  injustice  in  punish- 
ing them. 

There  might  have  been  some  appear- 
ance of  validity  in  the  objection  of  those 
who  made  it,  had  they  never  been  charge- 
able with  idolatry  and  other  sins  there- 
with connected,  or  if  they  had  repented 
of  and  forsaken  their  wicked  courses ; 
but  it  was  urged  with  the  worst  possible 
grace  by  those  who  were  to  the  full  as 
wicked  as  their  ancestors,  or  even  worse, 
as  they  are  represented  Jer.  xvi.  11,  12. 
If  they  had  listened  to  the  warning  voice 
of  the. prophets,  and  abandoned  the  ser- 
vice of  idols,  they  would  have  averted 
the  calamities  which  they  had  brought 
upon  the  nation ;  or  if  they  had  at  all 
been  sensible  of  the  enormous  evil  of  sin, 
as  committed  against  a  holy  God,  instead 
of  criminating,  they  would  have  justified 
him  in  the  judgments  which  he  had 
inflicted  upon  them.  Those  who  truly 
feared  Jehovah,  so  far  from  bringing  any 
charge  of  injustice  against  him,  would 
have  been  forward  to  acknowledge  tliat 
he  had  punished  them  less  than  their 
iniquities  deserved  (Ezra  ix.  13). 

If  the  captivity  did  not  take  place  in 
the  days  of  their  fathers,  it  was  to  be 
ascribed  to  the  divine  long-suffering,  by 


Chap.  XVIH.  2-9.] 


EZEKIEL. 


9T 


3  set  on  edge  ?     As  ._  live,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  ye  shall  no 

4  longer  use  this  proverb  in  Israel.  Behold,  all  souls  are  mine  ; 
as  the  soul  of  the  father,  so  the  soul  of  the  son  is  mine :  the  soul 

5  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die.     When  now  a  man  shall  be  just,  and 

6  practise  judgment  and  justice,  Hath  not  eaten  upon  the  moun- 
tains, nor  lifted  up  liis  eyes  towards  the  idols  of  the  house  of 
Israel,  nor  defiled  his  neighbor's  wife,  nor  approached  a  men- 

7  struous  woman.  And  hath  not  oppressed  any,  hath  restored  his 
pledge,  hath  not  taken  the  spoil,  hath  given  his  bread  to  the 

8  hungry,  and  hath  covered  the  naked  with  a  garment ;  Hath  not 
lent  on  usury,  nor  taken  interest,  hath  withholden  his  hand 
from   wickedness,    and   hath   executed   the  judgment  of  truth 


which  time  was  afforded  them  for  repent- 
ance. That  it  happened  when  it  did, 
was  a  demonstration  to  the  living  gen- 
eration, that  their  sins  conld  not  go  un- 
punished, but  that  verily  there  was  a  God 
that  judgeth  in  the  earth. 

\Vc  read  frequently  in  the  Old  Testa- 
ment of  God's  visiting  the  iniquities  of 
the  fathers  upon  the  children,  but  it  is 
always  with  jhe  pi'oviso,  expressed  or 
understood,  that  the  descendants  perse- 
vered in  the  sins  of  their  ancestors 
(Exod.  XX.  5  ;  Matt,  xxiii.  30-32). 

3.  When  Jerusalem  was  about  to  be 
destroyed,  measures  were  adopted  under 
the  divine  administration  to  secure  the 
escape  of  the  righteous,  chap.  ix.  1-4 ; 
and  when  the  captivity  in  Babylon  had 
worked  out  its  intended  result  in  recov- 
ering the  Jews  from  their  idolatrous 
practices,  they  were  restored  to  circum- 
stances of  prosperity  in  their  native  land. 
In  the  whole  of  Jehovah's  conduct 
to  them,  he  made  it  evident,  that  he  did 
not  act  with  partiality  or  capriciously, 
but  that  he  dealt  with  every  one  accord- 
ing to  his  works.  He  here  employs  the 
most  solemn  oath  to  confirm  this  fact, 
and  to  silence  the  daring  of  the  infidel. 

4.  In  this  verse  God  asserts  his  uni- 
versal propriety  in  his  rational  creation. 
riu3SSh"P3 ,  all  the  souls,  i.e.  persons  — 
the  noblest  part  of  the  constituent  ele- 
ments of  the  human  subject  being  put 
for  the  whole.    He  had  created  them  all, 

9 


and  having  endowed  them  with  those 
powers  and  faculties  which  are  necessary 
to  constitute  them  subjects  of  moral  gov- 
ernment, he  had  a  sovereign  and  indis- 
putable right  to  deal  with  them  in  equity 
according  to  their  deserts.  In  punishing 
the  guilty,  he  acts  without  respect  of 
persons.  The  individual  culprit  is  dealt 
with  on  the  ground  of  his  own  personal 
deserts,  n"'^ ,  to  die,  is  here,  as  else- 
where, used  in  the  enlarged  sense  of 
being  subject  to  penal  infliction ;  to 
suffer  the  punishment  due  to  transgres- 
sion ;  to  become  the  subject  of  misery 
as  the  effect  of  retributive  justice.  With- 
out any  attempt  at  proof,  Michaelis 
asserts  that  Ezekiel  adopted  this  aece]> 
tation  of  the  term  from  the  language  of 
the  Chaldeans  among  whom  he  lived. 

5.  In  illustration  of  the  proposition  so 
emphatically  laid  down,  the  prophet 
proceeds  with  an  induction  of  particulai- 
cases,  arising  out  of  the  different  charac- 
ters, and  relations  of  men.  The  first  is 
that  of  an  individual  of  irreproachable 
moral  character. 

6-9.  Most  of  the  vices  here  specified 
were  expressly  condemned  in  the  law  of 
Moses,  and,  having  in  all  probability  been 
rampant  among  the  Jews  in  the  days  of 
Ezekiel,  their  enumeration  furnished 
scope  for  the  consciences  of  his  contempo- 
raries to  operate  in  the  way  of  conviction. 
"  Eating  upon  the  mountains,"  connected 
as  the  language  here  is  with  the  worship 


98 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XVIII.  6-18. 


10 

11 
12 


13 


14 


15 


16 


between  man  and  man  ;  Hath  walked  in  my  statutes,  and  kept 
my  judgments  to  practise  truth ;  he  is  righteous,  he  shall  surely 
live,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah.  But  if  he  beget  a  son  who 
is  a  robber,  a  shedder  of  blood,  and  doeth  the  like  of  one  of 
these  things,  But  doeth  none  of  those  ;  but  hath  eaten  upon 
the  mountains,  and  hath  defiled  his  neighbor's  wife :  Hath 
oppressed  the  poor  and  needy,  hath  taken  away  the  spoil,  hath 
not  restored  the  pledge,  and  hath 'lifted  up  his  eyes  to  the  idols, 
hath  wrought  abomination  ;  Hath  given  upon  usury,  and  taken 
interest :  should  he  then  live  ?  he  shall  not  live  :  he  hath  done 
all  these  abominations  ;  he  shall  surely  die ;  his  blood  shall  be 
upon  him.  And,  behold,  he  begetteth  a  son,  who  seeth  all  the 
sins  which  his  father  hath  committed,  and  feareth,  and  doeth 
not  like  them.  Hath  not  eaten  upon  the  mountains,  nor  lifted 
up  his  eyes  to  the  idols  of  the  house  of  Israel ;  nor  defiled  his 
neighbor's  wife  ;  Hath  oppressed  none,  hath  not  taken  a  pledge, 
nor  taken  the  prey,  hath  given  his  bread  to  the  hungry,  and 


of  idols,  doubtless  refers  to  idolatrous 
feasts  celebrated  in  the  "high  places" 
where  such  worship  was  performed. 
That  ?X  is  used  for  ?^"  there  can  be 
little  doubt.  These  prepositions  are  not 
infrequently  interchanged  in  our  prophet. 
For  the  sins  of  impurity  here  specified, 
see  Lev.  xx.  10,  18.  So  far  was  the 
individual  referred  to  from  being  guilty 
of  any  acts  of  oppression,  that  he  was 
distinguished  for  acts  of  benevolence. 
inbbn  nin,  lit.  the  debt  of  Ms  pkdrje; 
the  meaning  is,  what  is  pledged  with 
him  for  the  payment  of  a  debt.  The 
Jewish  law  had  many  wise  and  benevo- 
lent enactments  on  the  subject  of  pledges, 
Exod.  xxii.  26,  27 ;  Deut.  xxiv.  6,  10, 
11.  ?J'4?3i  the  term  used  for  usury  is 
very  expressive.  It  literally  signifies 
hitinfj,  and  must  have  originated  in  the 
practice  of  taking  exorbitant  interest. 
The  law  of  Moses  absolutely  prohibited 
the  Jews  from  taking  any  interest  from 
their  brethren,  but  permitted  them  to  do 
so  from  a  foreigner,  Exod.  xxii.  25 ; 
Dent,  xxiii.  19,  20.  fl'^S'in,  increase, 
from  nn'n ,  to  multiply,  increase  wealth, 
is  another  term  expressive  of  interest  or 
usury,  denoting  riches  obtained  by  lend- 


ing money  at  high  interest,  or  by  making 
exorbitant  charges  on  the  natural  pro- 
ductions of  the  soil.  The  man  who  was 
blameless  with  respect  to  all  the  points 
here  specified  was  accounted  pi'n}J  ,r>;jht- 
eous  in  the  eye  of  the  law,  and  was  en- 
titled to  enjoy  the  life  which  the  law 
secured. 

10-13.  The  second  case  instanced  by 
the  prophet  is  that  of  an  impious  son, 
who,  instead  of  following  the  good 
example  of  his  pious  parent,  adopts  a 
course  directly  the  reverse,  and  unscru- 
pulously indulges  in  crimes  condemned 
by  the  law.  Upon  him  an  unmitigated 
sentence  is  pronounced.  In  the  language 
of  the  Orientals  the  blood  which  a  mur- 
derer has  shed  is  said  to  be  upon  him, 
till  it  be  avenged  by  his  punishment. 

14-18.  The  third  case  is  likev/ise  that 
of  a  son,  not,  like  the  former,  of  a  right- 
eous man,  but  of  the  unrighteous  person 
whose  character  had  just  been  depicted. 
This  son  is  supposed  to  be  shocked  at 
the  sight  of  his  father's  depravity,  and 
to  be  influenced  by  a  due  regard  to  the 
consequences,  to  avoid  the  sins  which 
his  parent  had  committed.  It  is  expressly 
declared  that  he  should  not  be  punished 


Chap.  XVIII.  14-24.1  EZEKIEL.  99 

17  clothed  the  naked  with  a  garment;  Hath  turned  back  his 
hand  from  the  afflicted  ;  hath  not  taken  usury,  nor  increase, 
hath  executed  my  judgments,  and  walked  in  my  statutes,  he 
shall  not  die  for  the  iniquity  of  his  father ;   he  shall  surely  live. 

18  His  father,  because  he  hath  grievously  oppressed,  spoiled  his 
brother  by  violence,  and  hath  not  done  that  which  is  good  in  the 

19  midst  of  his  people,  behold,  now  he  shall  die  in  his  iniquity.  Yet 
ye  say  ;  Why  ?  doth  not  the  son  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  father  ? 
When  the  son  hath  done  that  which  is  just  and  right,  hath  kept 

20  all  my  statutes,  and  done  them,  he  shall  surely  live.  The  soul 
that  sinneth,  it  shall  die  ;  the  son  shall  not  bear  the  iniquity  of 
the  father,  neither  shall  the  father  bear  the  iniquity  of  the  son : 
the  righteousness  of  the  righteous  shall  be  upon  him,  and  the 

21  wickedness  of  the  wicked  shall  be  upon  him.  And  the  wicked, 
when  he  shall  turn  from  all  his  sins  which  he  hath  committed, 
and  shall  keep  all  my  statutes,  and  do  that  which  is  just  and 

22  right,  he  shall  surely  live,  he  shall  not  die.  All  his  transgres- 
sions which  he  hath  committed,  shall  not  be  remembered  against 
him  ;    in  his  righteousness  which  he  hath  done,  he  shall    live. 

23  Have  I  any  jileasure  at  all  that  the  wicked  should  die  ?  saith  the 
Lord  Jehovah,  and  not  that  he  should  turn  from  his  ways  and 

24  live  ?  And  when  a  righteous  man  turneth  from  his  righteous- 
ness, and  committeth  iniquity,  and  doeth  according  to  all  the 
abominations  which  the  wicked  man  doeth,  should  he  then  live? 
All  his  righteousness  which  he  hath  done  shall  not  be  remem- 
bered ;  in  his  trespass  which  he  hath  committed,  and  his  sin  in 

for  the  crimes  of  his  father,  but  that  the  19-24.    Finding   the  unbelievers  still 

fatheronly,  being  the  guilty  party,  should  disposed  to  indulge  in  their  impudent 

suffer.     Instead    of  t<'>"'1   taken  by  the  criminations,  notwithstanding  the  con- 

:  Masoretes  as  a  repetition  of  i<"i*^  immedi-  vincing  declarations  to  the  contrary  just 

ately  preceding,  and  by  them  directed  to  alleged,  Jehovah  condescends  to  adduce 

be   read    '^X'T|''l ,    the  full  form  of  the  two  other  instances  which  equally  go  to 

future  of  the  same  verb,  the  LXX.  have  prove   the   equity   of    his   government, 

read  ^<"•'^5,/faJ  (po^riQfi,  and  was  a/raid,  The  former  is  that  of  a  repentant  sinner, 

which  is  followed  by  the  Vulg.  and  Arab,  who  is  dealt  with,  not  on  the  score  of 

Considering  that  the  difference  does  not  his  past  transgressions,  but  on  the  ground 

amount  to  more  than  the  change  of  a  of  his  new  obedience  :    the  Most  High 

vowel-point,  and  that  it  better  suits  the  thereby  testifying  that  he  hath  pleasure  in 

connection,   I   have   without   hesitation  rewarding   right-doing    rather   than   in 

adopted  the  latter   reading.      '^'^  ^"^'^H  punishing  sin.      The  latter  instance  is 

•'J^^   is   to   be   imderstood   in   a  good  that  of  a  righteous  man  who  abandons 

sense — to  turn  back  the  hand,  i.e.  from  the  righteous  course  which  he  had  been 

oppressing  the  poor.     Comp.  chap.  xx.  pui'suing,  and  indulges  in  sin.     In  his 

22,  to  withdraw  the  hand  from  punishing,  case,  none  of  the  righteous  acts  that  he 


100 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XVIII.  24-31. 


25  which  he  hath  sinned,  he  shall  die  in  them.  Nevertheless  ye 
say  :  The  -way  of  the  Lord  is  not  equal.  Hearken  now,  O  house 
of  Israel :  is  not  my  way  equal  ?  are  not  your  ways  unequal  ? 

26  When  a  righteous  man  turneth  from  his  riijhteousness  and  com- 
mitteth  iniquity,  and  dieth  in  them,  for  his  iniquity  that  he  hath 

27  done,  shall  he  die.  And  when  a  wicked  man  turneth  from  his 
wickedness  which  he  hath  done,  and  doeth  that  which  is  just  and 

28  right,  he  shall  preserve  his  soul  alive.  Because  he  considereth, 
and  turneth  from  all  his  sins  which  he  hath  committed,  he  shall 

29  surely  live  ;  he  shall  not  die.  Yet  the  houses  of  Israel  saith  :  The 
way  of  the  Lord  is  not  equal.     Are  not  my  ways  equal,  0  house 

30  of  Israel  ?  are  not  your  ways  unequal  ?  Wherefore  I  will  judge 
you,  O  house  of  Israel,  each  according  to  his  own  ways,  saith  the 
Lord  Jehovah :  turn  ye,  and  return  from  all  your  transgressions, 


had  performed  should  be  taken  into  the 
account,  but  he  should  be  punished  for 
the  sinful  course  which  he  had  preferred 
to  that  of  virtue  (Heb.  x.  38,  39; 
2  Pet.  ii.  20-22).  Thus  Jehovah  equally 
evinced  his  abhorrence  of  sin,  and  his 
love  of  righteousness. 

25.  Jehovah  here  justly  retorts  the 
censure  employed  by  the  Jews,  and 
appeals  to  their  discriminative  faculty 
for  a  judgment  as  to  the  impartiality  of 
his  proceedings,  and  of  self-condemnation 
on  themselves. 

26-28.  The  two  preceding  instances 
reversed  are  again  brought  forward  in 
justification  of  the  divine  conduct. 

29.  A  repetition  of  the  retort  employed 
ver.  25,  which  pointedly  throws  back  the 
objection  upon  the  Jews  themselves. 

30.  This  verse  contains  a  personal 
application  of  the  argument,  asserting 
Jehovah's  determination  to  deal  with  the 
Jews  individually  according  to  their 
deserts,  and  calling  upon  them,  in  the 
prospect  of  his  judgment,  to  sincere 
repentance  and  thorough  reformation. 
If  these  did  not  ensue,  they  had  nothing 
in  prospect  but  utter  destruction.  ^310 
13'^'^tll ,  turn  ye  and  return. 

31.  Many  persons  who  have  perplexed 
themselves  with  metaphysical  specula- 
tions relating  to  human  inability,  have 
sadly  stumbled  at  the  call  here  given  to 


the  Jews  to  make  to  themselves  a  new 
heart  and  a  new  spirit.  Strictly  speak- 
ing, however,  it  is  nothing  more  than  a 
declaration  of  the  duty  of  sinners  to  be 
otherwise  minded  towards  God  and  holi- 
ness than  they  are.  It  does  not  require 
them  to  create  within  themselves  any 
new  faculties  —  that  were  a  physical  im- 
possibility ;  but  to  exercise  in  the  right 
direction  the  faculties  with  which,  as 
moral  and  responsible  agents,  their  Maker 
has  endowed  them.  These  feculties  are 
as  capable  of  being  exercised  in  reference 
to  good  as  they  are  in  reference  to  evil ; 
nay,  they  may  be  said  to  be  more  so, 
inasmuch  as  their  original  destination 
proceeded  in  that  direction.  Unhappily 
the  mind  of  the  unrenewed  is  under  the 
influence  of  a  corrupt  bias  and  a  disin- 
clination to  choose  the  right  and  the 
good ;  and  while  this  is  the  ease,  their 
natural  reluctance  to  holiness  will  prove 
an  eftectual  barrier  to  their  submission 
to  the  will  of  God.  But,  so  to  exhibit 
to  their  view  the  injurious  consequences 
of  a  course  of  wrong-doing  as  to  fill  them 
with  alarm,  and  induce  them  to  give  a 
patient  hearing  to  the  claims  of  rectitude, 
and  finally  effect  their  true  conversion 
to  God,  is  perfectly  conceivable.  The 
discovery  of  a  superior  good  may  prevail 
over  their  choice  of  evil  so  as  to  super- 
induce the  contrary  choice  without  in  the 


Chap.  XIX.  1.] 


EZEKIEL. 


101 


31 


32 


that  iniquity  may  not  be  the  cause  of  your  ruin.  Cast  away 
from  you  all  your  sins  in  which  ye  have  sinned,  and  make  for 
yourselves  a  new  heart  and  a  new  spirit ;  for  why  will  ye  die, 
O  house  of  Israel  ?  For  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  him 
that  dieth,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  :  turn  ye,  and  live. 


least  trenching  on  the  freedom  of  moral 
agency.  In  this  view  of  the  case,  there 
is  ample  room  left  for  t!ie  doctrine  re- 
peatedly and  clearly  taught  in  Scrip- 
ture, that  it  is  the  divine  prerogative  to 
work  a  saving  change  in  the  hearts  of 
sinners. 
32,  Completely  to  silence  the  cavils 


of  unbelievers,  what  had  been  urged  in- 
terrogatively, vcr.  23,  is  here  unequiv- 
ocally declared,  —  that  when  Jeliovah 
punishes  it  is  not  from  any  delight  which 
he  takes  in  the  infliction  of  jumishment. 
The  very  reverse  is  implied  :  hence  the 
call  to  repent  and  live  with  which  the 
chapter  concludes. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 


An  elegy  over  the  fall  of  the  Davidic  house  and  the  Jewish  state,  set  forth  in  the  form  of 
two  parables:  the  former  of  the  two,  that  of  a  lioness  and  her  whelps,  1-9;  and  the 
latter,  that  of  a  fruitful  vine,  plucked  up,  and  planted  in  a  barren  desert  after  its  best 
branches  had  been  burned  with  fire,  10-14. 

1  And   thou,   take   up   a   lamentation   for   the   princes   of  Israel ; 

2  And  say  : 

What  is  thy  mother  ?     A  lioness :   she  lay  down  among  the  lions, 


1.  HS'^p  ,  LXX.  OpTjvos,  a  dirge,  a  lam- 
entation, elegy;  a  species  of  Hebrew  poetry 
characteristic  of  the  melancholy  fate  of 
those  who  are  the  subject  of  it,  and  the 
doleful  feelings  to  which  it  gives  utter- 
ance. Sometimes,  as  in  that  over  Saul 
and  Jonathan,  it  is  exquisitely  tender 
and  pathetic.  The  royal  personages 
here  referred  to,  designated  "'I^?'^^? 
PX'^i^'^ ,  princes  of  Israel,  were  in  reality 
those  of  the  kingdom  of  Judah.  They 
are  so  called  because  they  were  the  only 
legitimate  rulers  of  the  Hebrew  people. 
Those  who  had  reigned  over  the  ten 
tribes  were,  so  far  as  the  theocracy  is 
concerned,  merely  usurpers.  The  LXX., 
of  whose  reading  Houbigant  approves, 
have  rhv  Apx^fTCL  in  the  singular  ;  but, 
as  Rosonmiilller  remarks,  though  the 
pronominal  affix  in  5^53X  ,  thij  mother,  is 
in  the  singular  number,  with  special 
9* 


reference  to  Jehoahaz,  then  in  captivity 
in  Egypt,  yet,  there  being  more  than 
one  king  referred  to  in  the  elegy,  the 
plural  expressed  in  the  Hebrew  text  is 
sufficiently  justified.  ^'J3p  ,  lioness,  is 
certainly,  as  to  form,  masculine  if  pointed 
&<^35 ,  for  which  Bochart  contends ; 
but  the  sense  obviously  required  by  the 
context  justifies  the  Masoretic  punctua- 
tion, which  gives  the  feminine,  however 
contrary  to  analogy  according  to  that 
author,  or  savoring  of  grammatical 
artifice  according  to  Gesenius.  The 
latterotherwise  approves  of  this  construc- 
tion, pi'incipally  on  the  ground  that  many 
names  of  female  animals  have  masculine 

terminations.      Arab.        5«.aJ,  ijjj , 

leaena.  The  lion  being  a  symbol  of 
kingly  power,  the  state,  to  which  the 
monarch  owed  his  birth  and  which  nour- 


102 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XIX.  1-9. 


in  the  midst  of  youug  lions  she  nourished  her  whelps ;  And 
she  brought  up  one  of  her  whelps,  he  became  a  young  lion,  and 
learned  to  catch  the  prey  ;  he  devoured  men.  And  the  nations 
heard  of  him ;  he  was  taken  in  their  pit,  and  they  brought  him 
in  chains  into  the  land  of  Egypt.  ]Jfow  when  she  saw  that  de- 
layed, perished,  was  her  hope,  she  took  another  of  her  whelps, 
and  made  him  a  young  lion.  And  he  went  up  and  down  among 
the  lions  ;  he  became  a  young  lion,  and  learned  to  catch  the  prey  : 
he  devoured  men.  And  he  destroyed  their  palaces,  and  laid 
waste  their  cities  ;  and  the  land  was  desolate,  and  the  fulness 


ished  and  supported  him,  might  appro- 
priately be  represented  as  his  mother. 
Comp.  2  Chron.  xxxvi.  1.     Theconchi- 


vey  him  captive  to  Babylon,  2  Chron. 
xxxvi.  10.  The  words  fibniS  "^3  X^iril 
inr^pn   ■'^7?'$    have    oecasioned    some 

ding  portion  of  the  verse  describes  the  diversity   of   interpretation ;    but  little 

position  of  the  Jewish  state  in  relation  difficulty  will  remain,  if  we  take  <nri^p!TI, 

to  the  surrounding  monarchies.    •^^^'1 ,  Jur  hope,  to  be  the  nominative  to  both 

her  lijing  doicn,  is  expressive  of  the  feel-  the  verbs,  and  render :  and  she  saw  that 

ings  of  false  security  which  she  cherished  delayed,  perished,  was  her  hope.     While 

in  that  position.     Comp.  Gen.  xlix.  9 ;  circumstances  seemed  to  hold  out  some 

Num.  xxiii.  24 ;  xxiv.  9.  promise  of  the  restoration  of  Jehoahaz, 

3,  4.  ??ni1  is  the  apocopated  future  of  the  Jewish  people  cherished  some  hope, 

Hiphil,  and  is  distinguishable  from  the  but  having  been  disappointed,  their  hope 

future  of  Kal  only  by  the  connection,  at  last  expired,     "^^^li   the  Niphal  of 

^^^,  the  you)i(j  lion  here  spoken  of,  was  'Jj^ .     Comp.  Gen.  viii.  12.     That  only 

Jehoahaz,  the  son  of  Josiah,  who  affected  these  two  princes  should  be  exhibited  in 

to  be  a  brave  warrior,  but,  having  jjro-  the  parable,  may  be  accounted  for  on  the 

voked   the  jealousy  of  Pharaoh-Necho  principle,  that  the  others,  such  as  Jehoi- 

was  taken  prisoner  at  Riblah  in  Syria,  achim  and  Zedekiah,  were  placed  upon 

and  carried  captive  into  Egypt,  2  Kings  the  throne,  one  by  the  king  of  Egypt, 

xxiii.  33.     riflUJjp/f,  isclscwhereused  of  and  the  other  by  the  king  of  Babylon, 

artificial  pitfalls  for  catching  wild  beasts,  and   only   held   it    as    vassals,   whereas 


See  my  Comment,  on  Isa.  xxiv.  17. 
The  term  may  here  be  taken  as  signify- 
ing a  stratagem  of  war.  ^'^'7'!]  i  wci^e 
properly  hooks  or  rijigs  fastened  in  the 


Jehoaliaz  was  raised  to  it  by  the  choice 
of  the  people,  and  Jehoiachin  reigned  in 
the  right  of  succession. 

G-9.  There  is  nothing  in  the  historical 


noses  of  wild  beasts,  in  which  a  chain  or    narratives  to  throw  light  on  this  part  of 


cord  was  fastened  in  order  to  drag  them 
about.  It  is  here  most  appropriately 
applied  in  reference  to  the  young  lion. 

5.  How  long  the  Jews  waited  for  the 
restoration  of  tlicir  king  from  Egypt,  we 
know  not ;  but  either  having  heard  of  his 
death,  or  despairing  of  such  restoration, 
they  proceeded  to  elect  another :  namely 
Jehoiachin,  the  whelp  here  referred  to. 
This  prince,  it  would  appear,  gave  early 
indications  of  a  warlike  disposition,  which 
caused  Nebuchadnezzar  to  send  and  con- 


the  parable.  In  all  probability  the  lions 
spoken  of  were  the  petty  kings  of  the 
neighboring  states.  That  n""2?X  sig- 
nify palaces,  see  on  Isa.  xiii.  22.  This  is 
contirmcd  ])y  Cil"'7?  >  their  cities,  imme- 
diately following.  What  has  originated 
the  idea  of  widoivs  has  been  the  use  of 
the  verb  i'^^  >  to  know,  which  has  been 
supposed  to  be  used  here  in  the  euphem- 
istic sense  of  having  carnal  intercourse 
with.  This,  however,  seems  harsh,  and 
I  am  inclined,  with  Houbigant,  Dathe, 


Chap.  XIX.  6-14.] 


EZEKIEL. 


103 


9 


thereof  by  the  noise  of  his  roaring.  Then  the  nations  set 
against  him  on  every  side  from  the  provinces,  and  spread  their 
net  over  him  ;  he  was  taken  in  their  pit.  And  they  put  him  in 
ward  in  chains,  and  brought  him  to  the  king  of  Babylon ;  they 
brought  him  into  holds,  that  his  voice  might  no  more  be  heard 
upon  the  mountains  of  Israel. 
10  Thy  mother  was  like  a  vine  in  thy  quietude,  planted  by  the  waters  ; 
she  was  fruitful,  and  full  of  branches,  by  reason  of  many  waters; 
And  she  had  strong  rods  for  the  sceptres  of  rulers,  and  her  stature 
was  exalted  among  the  thick  branches  and  she  appeared  in  her 
height  in  the  multitude  of  her  branches.  But  she  was  plucked 
up  in  fury,  she  was  cast  down  to  the  ground,  and  the  east  wind 
dried  up  her  fruit ;  her  strong  rods  were  broken  and  withered  ; 
the  fire  consumed  them.     And  now  she  is  planted  in  the  wilder- 


11 


12 


13 


and  others,  to  suppose  that  the  reading 
must  oi'iginally  have  been  5-"^^1 ,  though 
all  the  Hebrew  MSS.  have  1  and  not  ^  • 
LXX.  eVeVero;  Targ.  '''2:^i^),  et  cUruit, 
deriving  the  verb  from  the  root  "-^^ ,  to 
break  in  pieces.  Jehoiachin  was  carried 
captive  to  Babylon,  where,  though  a 
prisoner,  he  was  treated  with  kindness 
by  Evil-merodach,  2  Kings  xxv.  27-30. 
10.  Now  follows  the  second  parabolic 
representation  of  the  kingdom  of  Judah 
under  the  symbol  of  a  vine.  It  is  paral- 
lel in  language  and  meaning  with  chap. 
xvii.  5-10.  The  same  figure  had  been 
beautifully  employed  in  Ps.  Ixxx.  'ir7^  ' 
rendered  by  some  in  thij  blood,  affords  no 
suitable  sense.  "  In  thy  likeness,"  the 
rendering  of  Kimchi,  taking  D^  to  be 
equivalent  to  n^a"!  ,  resemblance,  is  like- 
wise without  any  appropriate  meaning. 
The  LXX.  have  ws  &v6os  iv  poa,  as  if 
they  had  read  l^'l? .  The  reading 
»j?"!3  ,  thi/  vineyard,  which  is  found  in 
one  of  Kcnnicott's  and  in  one  of 
De  Rossi's  MSS.,  and  approved  by 
Gesenius,  who  renders  :  ^P";?  "f253  ,  HJce 
a  vine  ofthj  vineyard,  must  also  be  con- 
sidered as  insiilRciently  supported.  On 
the  whole,  I  must  acquiesce  in  the  inter- 
pretation of  Piscator,  adopted  by  Haver- 
nick,  in   silentio   tuo,  from   d'^ ,   Arab. 

[•i<^5  to  he    quiet,  still,   understanding 


thereby  the  period  of  the  Jewish  history 
previous  to  the  troubles  and  disasters 
which  that  people  had  brouglit  upon 
themselves  in  punishment  of  their  idola- 
tries. At  that  time  all  was  quiet  and 
prosperous.     Comp.  Isa.  xxxviii.  10. 

11.  T"  nCJ'^,  strong  rods,  i.e.  princes 
of  the  royal  house.  In  her  jirosperous 
state,  the  Jewish  kingdom  so  for  from 
resembling  one  of  those  vines  which  creep 
upon  the  ground,  was  comparable  to 
one  trained  up  by  the  side  of  a  wall,  or 
supported  by  a  tree.  Some  of  these  are 
carried  to  a  great  height,  such  as  that 
mentioned  by  Schulz,  the  stem  of  which 
was  a  foot  and  a  half  in  diameter,  and 
about  thirty  feet  high,  while  its  branches 
formed  a  tent  of  upwards  of  fifty  feet 
square.  Sec  Kitto,  article  Vine.  "pS''?  > 
a  kind  of  compound  adverb,  the  ?? 
expressing  the  elevated  position  of  the 
vine,  to  which  the  affix  1  in  iTiia'p  is  to 
be  referred,  though  masculine  in  form, 
on  the  ground  that  no  distinct  recogni- 
tion of  sex  is  imaginable. 

12,  13.  With  the  formerly  prosperous 
condition  of  the  Jewish  people,  the 
prophet  here  contrasts  the  deplorable  cir- 
cumstances to  which  they  were  reduced 
in  the  captivity. 

14.  Havernick  appropriately  calls  at- 
tention to  the  circumstance,  that  the 
fire  is  said  to  proceed  from  a  rod  of  her 


104 


EZEKIEL, 


[Chap.  XX.  1-4. 


14  ness,  in  a  dry  and  thirsty  land.  And  fire  is  gone  out  of  a  rod 
of  her  branches  ;  it  hath  devoured  her  fruit ;  and  she  hath  no 
strong  rod,  a  sceptre  to  rule.  It  is  a  lamentation,  and  shall  be 
for  a  lamentation. 


branches,  Avliicli  he  properly  interprets 
as  symbolizing  Zedekiali,  which  Cocceius 
had  done  ])eibre  him.  It  was  his  revolt 
from  Nebuchadnezzar  which  caused  that 
monarch  to  march  his  army  into  Judca, 
take  Jerusalem,  and  carry  the  Jcavs 
captive  to  Babylon.  Thus  an  end  was 
put  to  the  vine  and  its  branches  —  aeon- 
summation  which  every  Jewish  patriot 
must  deejily  have  bewailed. 

Resuming  the  word  •^^'^P?  >  a  lament, 


with  which  lie  had  commenced  the  sec- 
tion, the  prophet  energetically  concludes: 
ns-ipb-^nri;]  X-^fl  nrp ,  it  is  a  lamenta- 
tion, and  shall  he  for  a  lamentation.  Part 
of  the  dirge  had  received  its  accomplish- 
ment, and  was  matter  of  history ;  the 
concluding  part,  relating  to  Zcdekiah, 
belonged  still  to  unfulfilled  prophecy. 
As  the  former  had  been  fulfilled  in  the 
melancholy  experience  of  the  nation,  so 
the  latter  should  be,  within  a  brief  period. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Certain  of  the  elders  of  Israel  having  come  to  tlie  prophet  to  consult  him  respecting  the 
issue  of  events,  1,  he  is  instructed  not  to  give  them  any  direct  answer,  but  to  cxliibit  to 
their  view  the  guilt  which,  as  a  people,  tliey  had  contracted  in  Egypt,  2-9,  and  after- 
wards in  tlie  wilderness,  10-26,  and  in  tlie  land  of  Canaan,  27-S2.  Jehovah  then 
promises  that  after  lie  shall  have  punished  them  in  Babylon,  and  thereby  purged  away 
their  idolatrous  impurities,  he  will  restore  them  to  their  ancient  inheritance,  43-34. 

1  And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  seventh  year,  in  the  fifth  month,  on  the 

tenth  of  the  month,  that  certain  men  of  the  elders  of  Israel  came 

2  to  consult  Jehovah,  and  they  sat  before  me.  And  the  word  of 
Jehovah  came  unto  me  saying ;  Son  of  man,  speak  to  the  elders 
of  Israel,  and  say  to  them :  Thus  speaketh  the  Lord  Jehovah : 
Are  ye  come  to  consult  me  ?     As  I  live,  I  Avill  not  be  consulted 


1 .  The  epoch  from  which  the  compu- 
tation is  here  made  is  that  of  the 
deportation  of  Jechoniah  to  Babylon 
(chap.  i.  2;  viii.  1.)  We  arc  not  told 
what  was  the  subject  on  which  the  elders 
came  to  obtain  information,  but  there 
can  be  no  doubt  that  it  had  respect  to 
the  termination  of  the  captivity  which 
had  recently  commenced.  A  similar 
deputation  had  on  a  former  occasion,  as 
now,  taken  their  position  before  the 
prophet  (chap.  xiv.  1). 

2-4.  Instead  of  holding  out  any  hopes 


to  them  at  the  outset,  the  prophet  is 
charged  to  j)ronounce  upon  the  people 
the  judgments  which  their  rebellious 
conduct  had  merited.  Jehovah  declares, 
in  the  most  solemn  manner,  that  he  will 
not  hearken  to  the  application  made  by 
the  ciders,  which  sufficiently  shows  that 
their  sufferings  had  not  yet  effected  any 
real  reformation  in  their  conduct.  Comp. 
Ps.  Ixvi.  1 8.  Instead  of  "^.rpt"^^  >  ver.  3, 
upwards  of  thirty  MSS.  read  ''}X:\  ^.» 
which  reading  is  also  found  in  an  early 
printed  Heb.  Bible.    The  f^^  in  the  dupli- 


Chap.  XX.  2-9.]  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  IQo 

4  by  you,  saith  the  Lord  Jeliovali.  Wilt  thou  judge  them,  wilt 
thou  judge  ;  O  son  of  man  ?     Cause  them  to  know  the  abomina- 

5  tions  of  their  fathers.  And  say  to  them :  Thus  saith  the  Lord 
Jehovah:  In  the  day  when  I  chose  Israel,  then  I  lifted  up  my 
hand  to  the  seed  of  the  house  of  Jacob,  and  I  made  myself 
known  to  them  in  the  land  of  Egypt ;  yea,  I  lifted  up  my  hand 

6  to  tliem,  saying :  I,  Jehovah,  am  your  God  In  the  day  that  I 
lifted  up  my  hand  to  them  to  bring  them  out  of  the  land  of 
Egypt  into  a  land  which  I  had  searched  out  for  them,  flowing 

7  witli  milk  and  honey  ;  it  was  the  glory  of  all  lands  :  Then  I  said 
to  them :  Cast  ye  away  each  one  the  detestable  objects  of  his 
eyes,  and  defile   not  yourselves  with    the   idols   of  Egypt :    I, 

8  Jehovah,  am  your  God.  But  they  rebelled  against  me,  and  would 
not  hearken  to  me ;  they  cast  not  away  each  one  the  detestable 
objects  of  his  eyes,  and  did  not  forsake  the  idols  of  Egypt. 
Then  I  threatened  to  pour  out  my  wrath  upon  them,  to  exhaust 
mine   anger  upon   them,  in  the  midst  of   the  land  of  Egypt. 

9  Nevertheless,  I  wrought  for  my  name's  sake,  not  to  profane  it 
in  the  eyes  of  the  nations  in  whose  midst  they  were,  to  whom  I 
made  myself  known  in  their  sight  by  bringing  them  out  of  the 

cate  form  of  the  question  vcr.  4,  strongly  account  of  the  practice  of  idohatry  by 
implies  the  affirmative.  It  was  what  the  the  Hebrews  while  in  Egypt,  yet  it  is 
prophet  could  not  but  do.  The  case  was  cxprc&sly  stated,  Josh.  xxiv.  14;  and 
so  self-cvidcntly  flaj;rant,  that  he  must  indeed,  it  is  scarcely  conceivable  that 
at  once  have  been  prompted  to  execute  they  could  have  escaped  the  contagion, 
his  commission.  In  holding  up  to  the  surrounded  as  they  were  on  everj'  hand 
view  of  the  living  generation  the  rebel-  with  idols  and  idol  worship,  and  as  yet 
lious  conduct  of  their  fathers,  he  would  but  im])crfectly  acquainted  with  the  char- 
furnish  them  with  a  j-ortraiture  of  their  acter  and  will  of  the  only  living  and 
own.  uS'^  signifies  not  merely  to /i/r/r/e,  true  God.  It  is  also  implied  in  the 
but  also  frequently,  as  here,  to  conduct  history  of  the  golden  calf,  Exod.  xxxii. 
a  cause  before  a  tribunal  by  adducing  or  that  tliey  had  still  in  their  hearts  a 
hearing  such  evidence  as  bears  upon  it,  hankering  after  the  gods  of  Egypt.  See 
and  shall  lead  to  the  delivery  of  a  right-  also  ver.  24  of  the  present  chapter, 
eons  sentence.  □"^SJi^a    and    D^S'pO   are    two  of  the 

5,  6.  The  threefold  repetition  of  the  strongest  words  in  the  Hebrew  language 
lifting  of  the  hand  is  designed  to  prove  by  which  to  express  the  abhorcnt  charac- 
the  earnestness  of  the  gracious  purpose  ter  of  idols.  The  idea  of  polluted,  Jiltky, 
of  God  to  effect  the  deliverance  of  his  is  inherent  in  them.  Not  only  tiie  mis- 
people  from  Egyptian  bondage.  Such  erable  circumstances  of  their  external 
an  action,  accompanying  the  taking  of  condition,  but  still  more  the  state  of 
an  oath,  betokened  a  solemn  appeal  to  spiritual  degradation  into  which  the 
the  Deity,  and  is  here  used  anthropo-  Hebi-cws  had  sunk,  infinitely  magnified 
morphically  in  reference  to  God.  the  divine  mercy  which   interposed  for 

7-9.    Though    Moses    gives    us    no  their  deliverance.   "Where  sin  abounded, 


106  EZEKIEL.         ■  [Chap.  XX.  9-24. 

10  land  of  Egypt.     And  I  led  them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and 

11  brought  them  into  the  desert.  And  I  gave  them  my  statutes, 
and  made  known  to  them  my  judgments,  which  if  a  man  do,  he 

12  shall  live  by  them.  I  also  gave  them  my  sabbaths  to  be  a  sign 
between  me  and  them,  that  they  might  know  that  I,  Jehovah,  am 

13  their  sanctifier.  But  the  house  of  Israel  rebelled  against  me  in 
the  desert;  they  walked  not  in  my  statutes,  but  loathed  my 
judgments,  which  if  a  man  do  he  shall  live  by  them,  and  they  pro- 
faned my  sabbaths  exceedingly :  then  I  threatened  to  pour  out 

14  my  wrath  upon  them  in  the  desert  to  consume  them.  Never- 
theless, I  wrought  for  my  name's  sake,  not  to  pollute  it  in  the 
sight  of  the  nations  in  whose  sight  I  had  brovight  them  forth. 

15  And  I  also  lifted  up  my  hand  unto  them  in  the  desert,  not  to 
bring  them  into  the  land  which  I  had  granted,  flowing  with  milk 

16  and  honey  ;  it  was  the  glory  of  all  lands  :  Because  they  loathed 
my  judgments  and  did  not  walk  in  my  statues,  but  profaned  my 

17  sabbaths ;  for  their  heart  walked  after  their  idols.  But  mine 
eyes  took  pity  upon  them  not  to  destroy  them ;  and  I  did  not 

18  consume  them  in  the  desert.  And  I  said  to  their  children  in  the 
desert :  "Walk  ye  not  in  the  statutes  of  your  fathers,  neither 
observe  their  judgments,  nor  defile  yourselves  with  their  idols. 

grace   did   much  more  abound."     The  Hebrew  people,  and  which,  as  enjoined 

glory  of  this,  as  well  as  of  tlie  other  attri-  upon   them,  was  specially  designed   to 

butes  of  Jehovah,  was  tlie  ultimate  end  keep  up  the  i-emembrance  of  their  deliv- 

which  he  had  in  view  in  bringing  them  erance  from  Egypt,  Exod.  xxxi.  13-17  ; 

forth  from  the  house  of  bondage.     This  Deut.  v.  15.     Though  instituted  at  the 

is  described,  ver.  9,  as  his  t'J ,  name,  i.e.  creation  of  the  world,  and  consequently 

the  sum-total  of  his  known  perfections,  binding  upon  all  mankind,  the  day  of 

SeeRom. ix.  17;  2Sam.  vii.  23;  Isa.lxiii.  rest  was  enforced  with  fresh  obligations 

12.    The  preservation  of  that  name  from  upon  the  Hebrews.      Its  observance  or 

desecration  is  repeatedly  spoken  of  in  desecration  will  alwaj-s  be  a  demonstra- 

this  chapter;  see  verses  14,  22,  39.  tion  of  the  state  of  religion  among  any 

10,  11.  Having  rescued  the  Hebrews  people.      The    practical    result    of   its 

from  the  tryanny  of  Pharaoh,  and  led  sanctification  will   be   an  experimental 

them  into  the  wilderness  of  Sinai,  the  acquaintance  with  the  holy  character  of 

Lord  delivered  to  them  the  law  by  the  God,  whose  immediate  object  in  enjoin- 

hand  of  Moses.     Obedience  to  the  law  ing  it  is  to  promote   the   holiness   and 

would  secure  happiness.  happiness  of  his  creatures.    The  seventh- 

12.  It  would  appear  from  this  verse,  day    Sabbath    was    such    by    way    of 

as  well  as  from  the  wording  of  the  fourth  eminence,  and  its  enactment  formed  part 

commandment,    that    the    rest    of    the  of  the  moral  code.     The  other  Jewish 

Sabbath  had  been  intermitted  in  Egypt,  festivals,  so  called,  were  more  ceremonial 

nx  signifies  a  sign,  token,  memorial,  hci-e  in  their  character. 

a  proof  or  demonstration  of  the  relation  13-24.  Here  the  contrast  between  the 

subsisting    between  Jehovah    and    the  divine  character  and  that  of  the  Israel- 


Chap.  XX.  24-26.] 


EZEKIEL. 


107 


19  I,  Jehovah,  am  your  God;  walk  in  my  statutes  and  observe  my 

20  judgments  and  do  them  :  And  ye  shall  sanctify  my  sabbaths, 
that  they  may  be  a  sign  between  me  and  you,  that  ye  may  know 

21  that  I,  Jehovah,  am  your  God.  But  the  children  rebelled 
against  me  ;  they  walked  not  in  my  statutes,  and  observed  not 
my  judgments  to  do  them,  which  if  a  man  do  he  shall  even  live 
by  them  ;  they  profaned  my  sabbaths  ;  then  I  threatened  to  pour 
out  my  wrath  upon  them,  to  exhaust  mine  anger  on  them  in  the 

22  desert.  But  I  held  back  my  hand,  and  wrought  for  my  name's 
sake,  not  to  profane  it  in  the  sight  of  the  nations  in  whose  sight 

23  I  had  brought  them  out.  I  also  lifted  up  my  hand  to  them  in 
the  desert  to  scatter  them  among  the  nations,  and  to  disperse 

24  them  among  the  countries :  Because  they  did  not  execute  my 
judgments,  but  loathed  my  statutes  and  polluted  my  sabbaths, 

25  and  their  eyes  were  towards  the  idols  of  their  fathers:  Where- 
fore also  I  gave  them  statutes  that  were  not  good,  and  judg- 

26  ments  by  which  they  should  not  live.  And  I  polluted  them 
in  their  own  gifts,  in  their  causing  to  pass  through  the  fire 
all  that  openeth  the  womb,  that  I  might  destroy  them,  that  they 


ites  in  the  wilderness  stands  out  most 
prominently.  Though  so  recently  deliv- 
ered from  Eg-yjitian  slavery,  and  with 
the  prospect  of  the  pi'omised  land  before 
them,  they  nevertheless  proved  refractory 
and  rebellious.  Had  it  not  been  for  the 
divine  lon^suftering,  they  must  have 
perLihed  in  the  wilderness. 

25.  Various  attempts  have  been  made 
to  get  rid  of  the  ajiparent  incongruity  of 
the  language  here  employed  hj  the 
Divine  Being.  Taken  absolutely  it 
would  be  flatly  contradictory  of  the 
purity  and  rectitude  of  his  character,  as 
well  as  of  that  of  the  laws  which  he 
actually  gave  to  the  Israelites.  See 
Deut.  iv.  8;  Neli.  i.x.  1.3  ;  Rom.  vii.  12. 
The  solution  of  the  difficulty  proposed 
by  Manasseh  Ben-Israel,  that  the  words 
should  be  read  interrogatively,  is  alto- 
gether unsupported  by  the  structure  of 
the  sentence,  and  is  otherwise  not  borne 
out  by  Hebrew  usage.  I  agree  with 
those  interpreters  who  are  of  opinion, 
that  the  reference  is  to  the  idolatrous 
enactments  of  the- heathen,  and  that  the 
language  may  be  best  illustrated  by  com- 


parison with  Ps.Jxxxi.  12;  Hos.  viii.  11 ; 
Acts  vii.  42;  Eom.  i.  24  ;  2  Thess.  ii.  11. 
Because  the  Hebrews  cherished  a  pro- 
pensity to  indulge  in  idolatrous  practices, 
God,  in  his  holy  providence,  brought  them 
into  circumstances  in  which  this  pro- 
pensity might  be  fully  gratified,  without 
his  in  any  way  imposing  upon  them  the 
statutes  of  the  Pagan  ritual.  On  the 
contrary,  he  did  all  that  was  calculated 
in  the  way  of  moral  influence  to  deter 
tiiem  from  idolatry.  Preferring,  however, 
the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the  heathen 
to  his  holy  and  righteous  ordinances, 
they  experienced  not  only  that  they  were 
not  good,  but  as  tlie  language,  by  mei- 
osis,  imports,  that  they  were  most  per- 
nicious. 

2G.  The  language  of  this  verse  is  quite 
in  accordance  with  that  of  the  preceding. 
The  Holy  One  did  not  actually  pollute 
the  jjcople ;  he  only  permitted  them  to 
pollute  themselves,  and  pronounced  them 
polluted  when  they  had  rendered  them- 
selves such.  In  the  language  of  the 
Hebrews,  and  of  the  Orientals  in  general, 
God  is  fi'equently  said  to  do  that  which 


108 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XX.  26-30. 


27 


28 


29 


30 


might  know  that  I  am  Jehovah.  Therefore,  speak  to  the  house 
of  Israel,  O  son  of  man,  and  say  to  them  :  Thus  saith  the  Lord 
Jehovah :  Thus  further  did  your  fathers  dishonour  me,  in  that 
they  grievously  trespassed  against  me.  When  I  brought  them 
into  the  land,  which  I  had  lifted  up  my  hand  to  give  it  to  them, 
then  they  saw  every  high  hill,  and  all  the  thick  trees,  and  there 
they  oiFered  their  sacrifices,  and  there  they  presented  the  provo- 
cation of  their  offering,  and  there  they  placed  their  sweet  odors, 
and  there  they  poured  out  their  drink-offerings.  Then  I  said  to 
them :  What  is  the  high  place  to  which  ye  come  ?  And  they 
called  its  name  Bamah  {high  place)  unto  this  day.  Wherefore 
speak  to  the  house  of  Israel ;  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah : 
Are  ye  polluted  after  the  manner  of  your  fathers  ?  and.  Do  ye 


he  permits  to  be  done.  Comp.  Storrii 
Observatt.  ad.  Analog,  et  Syn  tax.  Hebr. 
p.  25,  etc.,  and  Hackspan  in  Nott.  Phil- 
ologico-Thcolog.  in  varia  SS.  loca,  P.  ii. 
p.  897,  etc.  "T'^S'n  ellipticallyfor  "I'^SrV'j 
TyN3 ,  to  cause  to  pass  tlirough  the  fire, 
i.e.  as  sacrifices  to  Moloch,  Deut.  xviii. 
10;  2  Kings  xvi.  3;  xxiii.  10;  Ezek. 
XX.  .31.  In  this  case,  the  sin  was  signally 
its  own  punishment ;  for  what  could 
have  been  more  harrowing  to  the  feelings 
of  a  parent's  heart  than  thus  to  put  his 
first-born  infant-oifspring  to  exquisite 
torture  in  honor  of  a  grim  idol  1  ^^'^  i 
to  fail  in  duty,  contract  guilt,  sitffer  punish- 
ment.    LXX.  acpaviC'^. 

27-32.  After  once  more  adducing  the 
rebellious  conduct  of  their  fathers,  even 
after  they  had  been  introduced  into  the 
land  of  Canaan,  the  prophet  roundly 
charges  the  Jews  of  his  own  time  with 
having  committed  the  same  sins,  and 
therefore  shows  that  they  had  no  reason 
to  expect  exemption  from  deserved 
punishment. 

27.  ^125  ,_ye^,s?i7/,  is  emphatic.  Instead 
of  being  moved  by  a  sense  of  gratitude 
for  the  divine  goodness  manifested  in 
the  fulfilment  of  the  solemn  promises 
which  God  had  made  to  the  Hebrews,  to 
induce  them  to  return  to  his  service  from 
that  of  idols,  the  ancient  Israelites  per- 
sisted in  the  practice  of  idolatry.  In 
ri5<t  is  an  ellipsis  of  ?  • 


28.  The  1  in  '1^"^!^*]  is  simply  contin- 
uative,  and  is  in  this  connection  un- 
susceptible of  the  construction  which 
Havernick  puts  upon  it,  as  if  it  were 
designed  to  express  the  idea  that  the 
Hebrews  joined  the  worship  of  idols  to 
that  of  the  true  God.  It  merely  unites 
the  two  clauses. 

29.  Michaelis  is  of  opinion  that  '^'J?  is 
equivalent  to  M^  NS  ,  and  renders  :  venit 
nescio  ad  quid;  but  this  appears  far 
fetched.  There  does  not  appear  to  be 
anything  more  than  a  paronomasia  in 
the  words  f^"??"  and  D''l!>2tj ,  just  as 
there  is  in  iTS  find  '^'??  •  There  is  no 
reason  to  believe  that  the  ancient  Hebrews 
attached  any  other  etymological  idea  to 
n^^  than  their  descendants  who  applied 
it  to  places  of  idolatrous  worship  erected 
on  mountains  or  other  eminences.  Root 
ri^3,  to  be  high;  equivalent  to  '^^'7  • 
LXX.  Tj  iariv  a^afid.  Owing  to  the 
idolatrous  purposes  to  which  the  heathen 
prostituted  such  high  places,  Moses  in- 
terdicted the  use  of  them  even  for  the 
worship  of  the  true  God,  Deut.  xii.  1-5. 
The  exceptions,  which  we  meet  with  in 
the  Jewish  history,  of  David  and  other 
pious  men  sacrificing  on  eminences, 
took  place  under  peculiar  circumstances, 
mostly  before  the  altar  was  set  up  on 
Moriah. 

30.  The  interrogations  in  this  verse 
strongly  imply  the    affirmative.      The 


Chap.  XX.  .31-37.]  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  109 

31  commit  whoredom  after  their  abominations  ?  For  when  ye  offer 
your  gifts  in  causing  your  children  to  pass  through  the  fire  ye 
pollute  yourselves  with  all  your  idols  unto  this  day :  and  should 
I  be  consulted  by  you,  O  house  of  Israel  ?     As  I  live,  saith  the 

32  Lord  Jehovah,  I  will  not  be  consulted  by  you.  And  that  which 
Cometh  up  in  your  mind  shall  by  no  means  happen,  which  ye 
say  :  We  will  be  as  the  nations,  as  the  families  of  the  countries 

33  to  serve  wood  and  stone.  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah, 
surely  with  a  strong  hand,  and  with  an  outstretched  arm,  and 

34  with  fury  poured  out,  I  will  rule  over  you.  And  I  will  bring 
you  out  from  the  peoples,  and  gather  you  from  the  countries  in 
which  ye  have  been  scattered,  with  a  strong  hand,  and  with  an 

35  outstretched  arm,  and  with  fury  poured  out.  And  I  will  bring 
you  into  the  desert  of  the  peoples,  and  contend  with  you  there 

36  face  to  face.  As  I  contended  with  your  fathers  in  the  desert 
of  the  land  of  Egypt  so  will  I  contend  with  you,  saith  the  Lord 

37  Jehovah.      And  I  will  cause  you  to  pass  under  the  rod,  and 

38  will  cause  you  to  enter  into  the  bond  of  the  covenant.  And  I 
will  separate  from  among  you  the  rebellious,  and  those  who  sin 
against  me  ;  I  will  cause  them  to  go  forth  from  the  land  of 
their  sojournings,  but  they  shall  not  come  into  the  land  of  Israel, 

Jews  addrcScSed  were  equally  guilty  with  partly  with  reference  to  the  vast  tracts 

their  fathers.  of    desert   country   which   lay  between 

31.  Between  such  characters  and  the  Judea  and  Babylon  and  in  other  parts  of 
holy  God  of  Israel,  there  could  be  no  that  empire,  and  partly  as  parallel  with 
communion.  The  application,  therefore,  the  wilderness  of  Arabia,  to  direct  the 
referred  to,  ver.  3,  was  utterly  fruitless,  thoughts  of  the  Jews  back  to  the  punish- 

32.  The  Jews  flattered  themselves  that  ments  which  were  there  inflicted  upon 
none  of  the  heavy  judgments  with  which  their  fathers.  Jehovah  thi'catens  to  deal 
the  prophets  had  threatened  them  would  with  them  as  in  open  court,  by  clearing 
come  upon  them,  and  that  they  should  those  who  had  repented  of  their  wicked- 
be  allowed  unmolested  to  indulge  their  ness,  and  punishing  the  obstinate,  as  he 
idolatrous  propensities.  had  done  their  fathers  of  old. 

33.  This  verse  and  those  which  follow  37.  All  attem])ts  to  derive  f^'?!^^  in 
strongly  contrast  with  that  which  goes  the  phrase  n'^^^^J  ^^^'9  '  *^^'^  ^"^"^  of  the 
before.  The  Jews  had  imagined  that  covenant,  from  any  other  root  than  10S  , 
their  dispersion  would  not  extend  beyond  to  hind,  have  proved  unsatisfactory.  The 
the  neighboring  coxmtries ;  but  Jehovah  Jews  should  be  brought,  by  means  of 
declares  that  he  would  punish  them  the  severe  discipline  which  they  should 
severely,  luitil  he  had  thoroughly  cor-  undergo,  to  a  due  sense  of  their  obliga- 
rected  the  evils  which  had  prevailed  tions  to  obey  the  divine  law.  By  the 
among  them,  and  then  he  would  restore  ancient  covenant  they  should  again  be 
them  to  Jerusalem.  bound  to  the  service  of  Jehovah.     See 

35-39.  n^JaSTi  "i?"!^  ,  the  desert  of  the    for  the  accomplishment  of  the  prophecy, 
peoples,   a  phrase  apparently  selected,    Neh.  ix.,  x. 
10 


110 


E  Z  E  K I E  L . 


[Chap.  XX.  38-44 


39 


40 


41 


42 


43 


and  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah.  And  ye,  O  house  of 
Israel,  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Go  ye,  serve  ye  every  one 
his  idols,  and  afterwards,  since  ye  will  not  hearken  unto  me, 
profane  not  my  holy  name  any  more  with  your  gifts  and  with 
your  idols.  For  upon  my  holy  mountain,  upon  the  mountain 
of  the  height  of  Israel,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  there  shall  all 
the  house  of  Israel  serve  me,  all  of  them  in  the  land  ;  there  will 
I  be  favorable  to  them,  and  there  will  I  require  your  heave- 
offerings,  and  the  first-fruits  of  your  oblations  in  all  your  holy 
things.  With  a  sweet  savor  I  will  accept  you,  when  I  bring 
you  out  from  the  peoples,  and  gather  you  from  the  countries  in 
which  I  scattered  you,  and  I  will  be  sanctified  among  you  in  the 
sight  of  the  nations.  And  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah, 
when  I  bring  you  into  the  land  of  Israel,  to  the  land  which  I 
lifted  up  my  hand  to  give  it  to  your  fathers.  And  ye  shall 
remember  there  your  ways,  and  all  your  doings  by  which  ye  are 
polluted,  and  ye  shall  be  loathsome  in  your  own  sight  for  all 


38.  The  lanjj-uage  here  implies  that 
the  great  bod}'  of  the  nation  shouUl  be 
recovered  from  idolatr}',  and  retnrn  to 
their  native  hind,  and  that  only  a  portion 
would  continue  in  a  state  of  rebel- 
lion against  Jehovah,  and  consequently 
remain  in  exile.  "^''*'?  has  been  sug- 
gested by  n^~i3 ,  with  which  the  preced- 
ing verse  concludes,  and  with  it  forms  a 
paronomasia.  ^"^3  is  here  to  be  taken, 
not  in  the  sense  of  morally  cleansing  the 
persons  spoken  of,  but  in  that  of  separat- 
ing them  from  regenerated  Israel,  as 
dross  is  from  purified  metal. 

39.  Jehovah  here  utterly  disowns  all 
relationship  with  the  rebels.  He  would 
have  idolatrous  worship  severed  from  all 
connection  with  his  name.  The  tone  in 
which  they  are  addressed  is  one  of  the 
keenest  irony.  Comp.  Rev.  xxii.  11.  It 
is  as  much  as  to  say  :  Well,  since  you 
will  not  listen  to  me  and  return  to  my 
seiwice,  you  may  take  your  own  course, 
we  henceforth  part  company,  "inx"), 
and  aflericards,  is  intended  to  give 
emphasis  to  the  address,  and  anticipates 
the  continued  apostasy  of  the  rebels. 

40.  By  "  the  mountain  of  the  height 
of  Israel "  we  are  to  understand  mount 


Moriah.  In  the  preceding  verse  the 
rebellious  portion  of  the  people  are  called 
"  the  house  of  Israel,"  because  they  re- 
tained the  character  by  which  that  people 
had  been  notoriously  distinguished.  In 
this  verse  the  designation  is  given  to 
the  nation  in  a  good  sense,  as  restored 
to  the  practice  of  true  religion.  They 
should  no  longer  repair  with  their  offer- 
ings to  the  high  places  throughout  the 
land,  but  should  all  congregate  at  the 
appointed  festivals,  as  of  old,  at  Jerusa- 
lem and  there  jjresent  acceptable  worship 
to  their  covenant  God. 

41,  42.  The  restoration  of  the  Hebrews 
from  the  captivity,  and  the  re-establish- 
ment of  their  religious  services,  would 
have  the  double  effect  of  procuring 
honor  to  Jehovah  from  the  surrounding 
nations,  and  attesting  in  their  own  ex- 
perience the  happiness  springing  out 
of  the  true  knowledge  of  the  divine  char- 
acter. 

43,  44.  Contrasting  their  renewed 
condition  with  thcirformer  abominations, 
they  would  be  filled  with  self-abhorrence 
on  account  of  all  their  wicked  ways 
Genuine  and  deep  contrition  always 
aecoinpanics  true  conversion.     SeeNeh. 


CiiAP.  XXI.  2.]  EZEKIEL.  HI 

44  your  evils  which  ye  have  committed.  And  ye  shall  know  that  I 
am  Jehovah,  when  I  deal  with  you  for  my  name's  sake ;  not 
according  to  your  wicked  Avays,  and  according  to  your  corrupt 
doings,  O  house  of  Israel,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah. 

ix.  Nothing  tends  so  mnch  to  deepen  mercy  of  God,  who,  when  he  might  have 
this  contrition  as  the  view  which  is  justly  inllicted  unmitigated  wrath,  re- 
obtained  of  the  forbearing  and  forgiving     members  unmerited  mercy. 

Here  the  chapter  properly  concludes  in  the  Hebrew  Bible,  and  in  several  of  the 
versions.  The  following  five  verses  so  evidently  belong  to  the  following  chapter, 
that  they  ought  never  to  liave  been  separated. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

This  chapter,  to  which  the  five  conchuling  verses  of  that  preceding  are  introductory, 
relates  to  the  conquest  of  Jiidea  and  Jerusalem  by  the  Chaldeans;  aud  was  delivered 
about  live  years  before  that  event.  The  prophet  begins  by  delivering  a  parable  of  a 
forest  on  fire,  1-5  (chap.  xx.  45^9).  He  then  changes  the  figure  employed  in  the 
parable  to  that  of  an  unsheathed  sword  drawn  against  the  guilty  land  of  Israel,  6-10; 
and,  to  denote  the  greatness  of  the  catastrophe,  uses  signs  of  vehement  grief,  11-12. 
He  next  resumes  the  figure  of  the  drawn  sword,  and  enlarges  upon  it,  in  order  more 
forcibly  to  set  forth  the  calamities  of  the  war,  1-3-22;  after  which  the  Icing  of  Babylon 
is  introduced  into  the  scene,  divining  by  arrows  in  order  to  determine  which  of  tlie  two 
capitals  he  should  attack  first,  Eabbah  or  Jerusalem,  23-29.  Zedekiah,  the  last  king  of 
the  Jews,  is  now  pointedly  addressed;  and,  after  a  prediction  of  the  total  overtlirow  of 
the  Jewish  affairs,  the  advent  of  the  Messiah  is  promised,  S0-.32.  The  last  five  verses 
form  a  distinct  prophecy  against  the  Ammonites,  8.3-37. 

Most  interpreters  have  grievously  complained  of  the  obscurity  which  rests  over  this  section 
of  our  prophet,  and  the  unsettled  state  of  the  text,  to  which,  in  part,  it  is  attributable. 
Still,  with  all  the  difliculties,  the  general  import  may  easily  be  determined.  In  some 
portions  the  language  is  smooth  and  easy ;  in  others,  it  is  abrupt  and  rugged,  resembling, 
as  Havernick  suggests,  the  struggle  of  a  war-song,  and  is  thus  in  perfect  keeping  with 
the  subject  to  which  it  refers. 

1  And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying :  Son  of  man, 

2  set  thy  face  towards  the  south,  and  drop  thy  word  towards  the 
south,  and  prophesy  towards  the  forest  of  the  field  of  the  south, 

2.  There  are  three  words  in  the  Hebrew  prophet,  and  once  in  the  Pentateuch,  is 

text  of  this  verse  to  express  soulh :  "I'^'^O  ,  found  only  in  Job  and  Ecclesiastes.    The 

mi'll ,  and  35.5 .     They  are  merely  use<l  derivation,  as  Fiirst  remarks,  is  still  eV 

as  synonymes  for  the  sake  of  varying  the  alAyixaai.      35? ,    353   in   the    Samar., 

expression.     The  first   is  derived  from  Chald.,  and  Syr.  dialects,  signifies  to  be 

"I'S^  ,    to  he  on  the   right,  borrowed  with  dri/,  dried  up :  hence  the  south,  where  the 

reference  to  the  position  of  the  quarter  heat   of  the   sun  is  most  severely  felt. 

of  the  heavens  when  facing   the  east :  The  LXX.   retain   the    original   terms 

hence  also 'p'2'J ,  signifying  both  the  n'^/Zf^  dat,udv,    Sapo/j.,   faydp.     The   Vulg.  has 

hand,  and  the  south.     Di"i'n  is  of  less  fre-  Anstri,  Africum,  and  Meridiani.  All  the 

quent   ocurrence,   and    besides    in   our  three  terms  specially  apply  here  to  the 


112 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XXI.  2-8. 


And  say  to  the  forest  of  the  south :  Hear  the  word  of  Jehovah : 
Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Behold,  I  will  kindle  a  fire  in 
thee,  and  it  shall  devour  every  gi-een  tree  in  thee,  aud  every 
withered  tree  ;  the  flaming  flame  shall  not  be  quenched,  and  all 
faces  shall  be  scorched  therein,  from  the  south  to  the  north. 
And  all  flesh  shall  see  that  I,  Jehovah,  have  kindled  it :  it  shall 
not  be  quenched.  Then  I  said :  Ah,  Lord  Jehovah !  they  say 
of  me  :  Doth  he  not  speak  parables  ?  Then  the  word  of  Jehovah 
came  to  me,  saying :  Son  of  man,  set  thy  face  towards  Jeru- 
salem, and  drop  thy  word  towards  the  holy  places,  and  prophesy 
against  the  land  of  Israel.  And  say  to  the  land  of  Israel :  Thus 
saith  Jehovah :  Behold,  I  am  against  thee,  and  will  draw  my 
sword  out  of  its  scabbard,  and  will  cut  off  from  thee  the  ri^ht- 


southern  division  of  the  Holy  Land,  of 
which  at  the  time  Jerusalem  was  the 
capital.  Whether  the  words  are  designed 
to  suggest  the  direction  in  reference  to 
the  position  of  the  prophet  in  Babylon, 
as  some  suppose,  may  fairly  be  questioned. 
^5?  '^t!*?'!!  >  instead  of  3 55^  j  as  it  stands 
ver.  3.  The  Article  occupies  its  present 
position,  contrary  to  rule,  by  attraction 
to  the  preceding  "iSj^ ,  which  it  was 
designed  to  render  specially  definite. 

By  "  the  forest "  is  meant  the  densely 
populated  country  of  Judca,  trees  being 
understood  figurativel}'-  to  denote  the 
inhabitants.  ^J^f^  >  drop,  a  term  bor- 
rowed from  the  falling  of  rain,  or  the 
dropping  of  honey,  and  generally  em- 
ployed to  denote  gentle,  flowing,  and 
pleasing  discourse ;  but  here  used  of 
what  the  prophet  was  sternly  to  deliver 
in  the  way  of  commination.  It  is  often 
used  of  prophesj'ing. 

3.  The  forest,  apostrophised,  is  here 
declared  to  be  set  on  fire  by  Jehovah, 
and  consumed  by  an  universal  conflagra- 
tion. In  ^^f^^''^  '^tO-  i^  ^  paronoma- 
sia. To  express  the  fearful  character  of 
the  confl.agration,  the  prophet  employs 
this  peculiar  phrase,  compounded  of  two 
forms  of  the  same  word,  the  latter  of 
which  is  taken  from  the  Shaphel  cojiju- 
gatici  in  Aramaic.    Their  common  root 

is  an^ ,  Arab.  ^_^  ,  Eth.  AUA  to 


burn,  inflame.  ^'liJ ,  Arab.  i^jwO  ,  per- 
cttssif,  piinxit,  to  scorch,  burn.  From  the 
use  of  lil'2"b3  ,  ver.  9,  it  is  evident,  that 
CJS'PS  is  to  be  taken  in  the  sense  of  all 
faces  or  pfr.ions,  and  not  extended  so  as 
to  denote  all  parts  of  the  country — the 
whole  superficcs  —  as  Rosenmiiller,  Mau- 
rer,  and  Hitzig  interpret. 

5.  Desirous  of  shifting  off"  the  applica- 
tion of  the  projdiecy  to  themselves,  the 
Jews  pretend  not  to  understand  it. 
They  accuse  Ezekiel  of  employing  a  high 
parabolic  style. 

6,  7.  The  prophet  is  now  instructed 
to  address  himself  directly  against  the 
city  which  had  been  specially  consecrated 
to  Jehovah,  but  which  the  Jews  had 
polluted  with  their  idolatries.  d"'Tt''np:Q , 
sanctuaries,  include  not  only  the  temple 
with  its  holy  places,  but  also  the  other 
edifices  appropriated  in  purer  times  to 
divine  worship,  and  afterwards  called 
synagogues.  Ps.  Ixxiii.  17.  Instead  of 
of  C^-lpTS  however,  three  MSS.  read 
^"'rj'^p?  5  their  sanctuary,  which  reading 
is  supported  by  the  Syr.,  but  the  LXX., 
Vulg.,  and  Arab,  exhibit  the  plural. 

8.  The  symbol  of  fire  is  here  exchanged 
for  that  of  sword,  which  aftcnvards,  with 
much  force,  occupies  so  prominent  a 
place  in  the  chapter.  The  Jews  were 
not  yet  to  be  told  in  plain  language 
what  was  to   befall   them.     What  bad 


Chap.  XXI.  8-14.] 


EZEKIEL. 


113 


9       eous  and  the  wicked.     Because  I  will  cut  off  from  thee  the 
righteous  and  the  wicked,  therefore  my  sword  shall  go  forth  out 

10  of  its  scabbard  against  all  flesh  from  the  south  to  the  north.  And 
all  flesh  shall  know  that  I,  Jehovah,  have  drawn  my  sword  out 

11  of  its  scabbard  :  it  shall  not  return  any  more.  And  thou,  son 
of  man,  groan  with  the  breaking  of  thy  loins,  and  with  bitterness 

12  groan  in  their  sight.  And  it  shall  be  when  they  shall  say  unto 
thee  :  Why  groanest  thou  ?  then  thou  shalt  say :  For  the  report, 
because  it  cometh :  and  every  heart  shall  melt,  and  all  hands 
shall  be  feeble,  and  every  spirit  shall  faint,  and  all  knees  shall 
flow  as  water ;  behold,  it  cometh,  and  shall  take  effect,  saith  the 
Lord  Jehovah. 

13  Again  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying:  Son  of  man, 

14  prophesy  and  say  :  Thus  saith  Jehovah  :  Say,  a  sword  !  a  sword! 


been  told  them  was  intelligible  enough 
to  those  wlio  were  inclined  to  receive 
instruction.  Tanchum  interprets  P"'^?? 
riyhtfous,  of  those  who  regarded  them- 
selves as  such,  though  they  were  not 
such  in  reality.  The  term  would  rather 
seem  to  be  here  used  antithetically  with 
"'^7 '  «t'/cZ.W,  for  the  purpose  of  indica- 
ting the  universality  of  the  destruction 
which  was  coming  upon  the  country.  It  is 
as  much  as  to  say,  that  all  should  be  in- 
volved in  the  common  calamity.  "What 
is  thus  declared  is  quite  in  accordance 
with  what  we  daily  witness  in  the  history 
of  our  race.  Afflictions  are  the  common 
lot  of  all.  In  national  calamities,  so  far 
as  suffering  viewed  simply  in  itself  is 
concerned,  no  outward  distinction  is 
made  between  the  good  and  the  bad. 
Both  appear  to  be  treated  substantially 
alike.  There  is  no  real  contradiction, 
however,  between  the  doctrine  taught  in 
this  passage,  and  that  vindicated  chap, 
xviii.  Though  removed  from  their 
native  land  along  with  the  wicked,  inas- 
much as  they  were  nationally  connected 
with  them,  yet  the  righteous  were  to  be 
regarded  only  as  the  subjects  of  corrective 
discipline,  whereas  to  the  idolatrous  Jews 
the  sufferings  were  unmitigated  punish- 
ment. The  LXX.,  unable  to  reconcile 
the  text  with  their  conceptions  of  the 
10* 


Divine  government  have  rendered  P*''^? 
i'O'l'l  by  &vofi.ov  KoX  aSiKov,  the  lawless 
mid  unrighteous.  'pS^  ^Sip ,  ver.  9, 
wants  the  local  i^  at  the  end  of  the  latter 
word,  which  is  expressed  "^^'S^  ^^S'?  > 
ver.  3.  "  From  south  to  north,"  takes 
in  the  whole  extent  of  the  country. 

11.  The  more  deeply  to  affect  his 
countrymen  with  a  sense  of  the  dire 
calamities  which  were  soon  to  overtake 
them,  the  prophet  is  commanded  openly 
to  assume  the  appearance  of  a  person  in 
deep  distress ;  clasping  his  loins  with 
his  hands,  as  sadly  bruised,  and  giving 
utterance  to  piteous  groans  in  the  bit- 
terness of  his  spirit,  he  was  to  present 
himself  before  them. 

12.  The  import  of  the  prophetic  signs 
is  here  expressly  declared.  As  they  saw 
the  prophet,  so  should  it  be  universally 
throughout  the  land. 

14.  The  prophet  now  proceeds  to 
enlarge  upon  the  symbol  of  the  sword, 
which  he  had  introduced,  ver.  8.  All  is 
now  ready  for  the  onslaught.  The  repe- 
tition in  3'nri  S"]t^  ,  a  sword,  a  sword,  is 
not  without  effect  —  definitely  pointing 
to  the  destructive  weapon  to  be  employed 
in  the  war.  To  augment  the  terror 
which  the  announcement  was  calculated 
to  inspire,  the  sword  is  desc  "bed  as 
Jn^n^n ,  sharpened,  prepared  to  do  exe- 


114 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XXI.  14-18. 


15  both  sharpened  and  polished !  It  is  sharpened,  that  slaying,  it 
may  slay  ;  it  is  polished,  that  it  may  glitter :  should  we  make 

16  mirth  ?  the  rod  of  my  son  contemneth  every  tree.  And  he  gave 
it  to  be  polished,  that  it  might  be  handled  ;  it  is  a  sharpened 
sword,  and  it  is  polished,  to  give  it  into  the  hand  of  the  slayer. 

17  Cry  out  and  howl,  O  son  of  man,  for  it  shall  be  against  my 
people,  against  all  the  princes  of  Israel,  they  are  delivered  to 
the  sword  together  with  my  people,  therefore  smite  upon  thy 

18  thigh.     Surely  it  is  tried ;  and  what,  if  indeed  the  rod  despise  ! 


cntion,  and  also  llia^^p  ,  polished.  Root 
13"^^  ,  to  smoothe,  polish,  particularly  the 
head  by  plucking  out  the  hair :  liere 
transferred  to  the  sword.  ilLi'1^ ,  the 
Pahul  participle  of  Kal ;  nis'i^,  in  the 
following  verses,  a  contracted  form  of 
ilDnri'2  ,  the  participle  of  Pual.  The 
Dagcsh  is  euphonic,  but  is  omitted  in 
several MSS.  Thcglitteringof abrightly 
polished  sword,  wielded  in  the  sun,  is 
truly  terrific.  Comp.  Deut.  xxxii.  41 ; 
Job  XX.  25. 

15.  The  sword  was  one  of  the  deadliest 
weapons  of  ancient  warfare ;  hence  the 
frequent  reference  to  it,  when  wars,  of 
which  it  is  considered  as  the  appropriate 
symbol,  are  spoken  of  in  the  Old  Test. 
lyOi  iX  is  abruptly  introduced,  and  has 
much  perplexed  interpreters.  The  best 
sense  appears  to  be  that  brought  out  in  our 
common  version,  in  which  'O'^'O'^  is  taken 
as  the  first  person  plural  of  the  future 
in  Kal  of  the  root  'd^'O  or  'O'^'^i  ,  to  rejoice, 
be  fjlad,  merry,  or  the  like.  There  is  thus 
no  occasion  for  any  conjectural  emenda- 
tion. The  only  difficulty,  with  such 
construction,  lies  in  the  particle  "iX  ,  which 
I  consider  to  be  used  simply  as  an  in- 
terrogative conjunction.  Reproving  his 
countrymen  for  their  indulgence  in  levity 
and  mirth,  when  such  dire  calamity  was 
staring  them  in  the  face,  he  asks  :  should 
we  make  mirth  ?  — implying  that  nothing 
could  be  worse-timed  under  such  cir- 
cumstances. Compare  for  the  sentiment 
Isa.  V.  11,  12;  Amos  vi.  5.  The  sword 
of  Nebuchadnezzar  would  no  more  spare 
Judah  than  any  other  nation.  It  is 
represented  as  setting  at  nought  the  Jew- 


ish power  equally  Avith  that  of  every 
other  people.  None  had  been  able  to 
withstand  the  universal  conqueror.  MSTIJ , 
rod,  is  here  used  of  the  instrument  of 
correction  or  punishment,  and  the  Geni- 
tive in  "'IS  ^r?"4?  >  the  rod  of  my  son,  is 
that  of  object :  i.e.  the  instrument  em- 
ployed in  punishing  my  son,  as  OOn 
TiTlX  ,  tlie  inoletice  of  thy  brother,  means, 
the  violence  done  to  thy  brother.  "^33  , 
my  son,  designates  the  Jewish  people,  as 
in  Hos.  xi.  1.  ^^^^2  is  the  regular 
feminine  participle  of  DS"2  ,  to  despise, 
connected  with  B2d  an  epicoene  noun. 
Y'?. » tree,  is  used  figuratively  to  denote  a 
prince  or  ruler,  as  in  chap.  xvii.  24. 

16.  1^1*1 ,  And  he  hath  given,  used  im- 
personally for  and  it  is  fjiven,  according 
to  an  idiom  common  in  Hebrew.  The 
instrument  of  destruction  Avas  quite  pre- 
pared, and  only  required  to  be  employed 
by  Jehovah  against  his  apostate  people. 

17.  The  object  of  the  Chaldean  expe- 
dition is  here  definitely  pointed  out. 
The  Jews  were  not  to  delude  themselves 
with  the  idea  that  it  was  Egypt,  or  any 
other  neighboring  nation,  that  was  to 
be  attacked.  The  punishment  was  to 
be  inflicted  indiscriminately  upon  them- 
selves. The  prophet  is  on  this  account 
again  charged  to  exhibit  tokens  of  ex- 
treme sorrow.    ''5??"rN  n'nn  bx  ^y^^n, 

delivered  up  to  the  sword  together  with  my 
people. 

18.  "^3  is  here  used,  not  as  a  particle 
marking  cause  or  reason,  but,  as  fre- 
quently at  the  beginning  of  sentences, 
expressing  certainty.  '|H3  is  the  Pual  of 
'l^l?  5  to  try,  prove.    Comp.  'jHS  "|3i<  ,  Isa. 


Chap.  XXI.  lS-22.] 


EZEKIEL. 


115 


19 


20 


21 
22 


it  shall  not  be,  saitli  the  Lord  Jehovah.  And  thou,  son  of  man, 
prophesy,  and  smite  thine  hands  together,  and  let  the  sword  be 
doubled  a  third  time,  the  sword  of  the  slain  ;  it  is  the  sword  of 
the  great  slaughter,  which  besiegeth  them.  That  the  heart  may- 
melt,  and  the  fallen  be  numerous  in  all  their  gates,  I  have  made 
bare  the  sword ;  alas  !  it  is  made  to  glitter,  it  is  drawn  to  slay. 
Be  united,  strike  on  the  right,  attach  on  the  left,  whither  thy  face 
is  appointed.     And  I  also  will  smite  my  hands  together,  and 


xxviii.  16.  The  nominative  is  I23"ilJ ,  the 
rod,  i.e.  of  chastisement,  the  Babylonian 
power.  C3  gives  emphasis  to  it,  and  may 
here  be  rendered,  indeed.  If  Nebuchad- 
nezzar shoukl  really  despise  the  resistance 
made  by  the  Jewish  state,  which  he  did 
(comp.  ver.  15),  what  was  to  be  expected 
as  the  consequence  ?  That  state  must 
necessarily  come  to  an  end.  '^^'7'^.  ^'' ' 
it  shall  not  he.  Such  I  regard  as  the 
meaning-  of  this  most  difficult  verse. 

19.  The  words  i^n'J-^V^  ^'^n  '^SSr") , 
however  apparently  obscure,  arc  properly 
susceptible  of  no  other  rendering  than 
that  given  in.  the  common  version  :  ajid 
let  the  sword  be  doubled  a  third  time. 
They  seem  designed  to  express  the  tre- 
mendous size  and  power  of  the  sword  to 
be  employed.  It  was  no  ordinary  foe 
that  was  to  attack  the  Jews.  All  hopes 
of  escape  were  vain.  It  was  a  sword 
that  had  been  well  tried ;  and  proved 
successful  in  many  abattle.  C"?^n  3"in  , 
the  sword  of  the  slain.  Numerous  were 
the  victims  who  had  perished  by  it.  ??n 
I  take  to  be  a  noun  signifying  slaughter. 
Comp.  ^'•^■'9  from  ^l^'^  ,  and  "i2b  from 
^2b .  b^nr.n  h\r\  n-in ,  the  sword  of  the 
great  slaughter.  There  may  be  a  inference 
to  the  great  battle  at  Charchemish,  in 
which  the  king  of  Babylon  had  been  vic- 
torious over  his  powerful  rival,  ri'i'tnf] 
^n?  >  which  beseiges  them,  encircles  them. 
with  reference  to  an  army  of  swordsmen 

I  surrounding  a  city  in  a  state  of  siege. 

20,  21.     2';in"nnaN  ,  the  naked  sword, 
I  being  spoken  of  in  connection  with  the 

gates  of  the  city,  confirms  the  interpre- 
ation  given  of  Ti'^'in  in  the  preceding 
erse  in  regard  to  the  besieging  of  a  city. 


Numerous  derivations  have  been  pro- 
posed for  J^f^S^,  but  give  little  satisfac- 
tion.     That   of    Schnurrcr,   from    the 

Arabic  _^Lj  apertum,  in  omnium  conspectu 

positum  esse,  seems  preferable  to  any  other. 
The  nakedness  of  a  sword  iovanalced  sword. 

nii""3  ,  Arab.  JoJUO  ,  viii.  Jajtx*' ,  and 

SsJuo ,  eduxit  e  vagina  gladium.  Not 
only  w^as  the  sword  made  bright,  and 
thus  ready  for  use,  but,  further,  it  was 
drawn,  and  just  about  to  be  used.  Nebu- 
chadnezzar had  gone  forth  from  Babylon, 
and  was  on  the  point  of  invading  Judea. 
By  a  bold  apostrophe,  the  sword  in  its 
threefold  character,  is  summoned  to 
unite  its  powers  "'^'Tl^r'?  >  find  advance 
to  the  onslaught.  The  Chaldean  army, 
in  one  collected  body,  was  to  proceed 
onward  to  Judea,  taking  whatever  route 
came  first,  whether  the  southern  or  the 
northern.  It  was  not  to  turn  in  any 
other  direction  than  that  in  which  it  was 
appointed  to  move,  nill^"^  ,  the  Fem. 
plur.  participle  in  Pual  of  "i^"^  ,  to  fix,  set, 
appoint. 

22.  By  a  strong  anthropopathy  Jeho- 
vah declares  he  will  do  what  he  had  com- 
manded the  prophet  to  do,  ver.  19.  tiS 
r|3"55<  ,  hand  to  hand,  is  expressive  of  the 
act  of  clasping  the  hands  together  as  an 
indication  of  violent  grief.  By  causing 
the  divine  fury  to  rest,  is  meant,  not  the 
forbearing  to  pour  it  out  in  judgment, 
but  the  full  and  permanent  infliction 
of  it. 

In  whatever  obscurity  this  remarkable 
prophecy  may  be  involved,  the  glittering 
sword  flashes  vividly  through  the  whole. 


116 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XXI.  24-26. 


23 
24 


25 


26 


cause  my  fury  to  rest,  I  Jehovah  have  spoken  it.  And  the  word 
of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying :  And  thou,  son  of  man,  ap- 
point thee  two  ways,  for  the  sword  of  the  king  of  Babylon  to 
come  ;  from  one  land  they  shall  both  go  forth  ;  and  cut  a  hand  at 
the  head  of  the  way,  cut  a  city.  Thou  shalt  appoint  a  way  for 
the  sword  to  come  :  Rabbah  of  the  sons  of  Ammon,  and  Judah  in 
Jerusalem,  the  fortified  city.  For  the  king  of  Babylon  shall 
stand  at  the  mother  of  the  way,  at  the  head  of  the  two  ways, 
to  practise  divination  ;  he  shall  shake  arrows,  he  shall  consult 


24.  The  "  one  land  "  whence  the  two 
ways  proceeded  was  that  of  Babylon,  and 
the  ways  ran  in  a  westerly  direction ;  the 
more  northerly  by  Rililah  in  Syria  ;  and 
the  more  southerly  by  Tadmor,  or  Pal- 
myra, in  the  desert.  The  former  was  that 
usually  taken  from  Babylon  to  Jerusa- 
lem ;  the  latter  from  the  same  city  to 
Rabbah  on  the  east  of  the  Jordan.  The 
prophet  is  directed  to  cut  out  a  hand 
("1^),  or  a  sign,  pointing  to  the  direction 
in  which  the  Chaldean  army  was  to  ])ro- 
ceed.  This  he  was  to  place  ""^i'l^'^^^a  , 
at  the  head  or  commencement  of  the  way 
where  the  two  roads  separated,  each 
taking  its  own  course ;  while  we  are 
necessarily  to  understand  its  being  made 
to  point  toward  that  which  the  king  of 
Babylon  was  to  select,  as  we  are  taught 
in  ver.  26.  5<'^3  and  i^'^2  signify  to  cut, 
or  fashion  by  cutting  into  any  sliape  or 
form  whatever.  "^"5 '  the  cognate  verb, 
also  signifies  to  cut,  and  then,  as  a  sec- 
ondary signification,  to  choose,  sdcct. 
This  last  idea  our  authorized  translators 
have  adopted.  That  the  hand  is  not 
supposed  to  have  been  formed  by  sculp- 
ture, would  appear  from  the  circumstance 
that,  in  case  it  had  been  so,  the  verb  •^i^'^ 
or  Pi^'7  would  have  been  employed.  It 
may  have  been  made  of  wood,  just  like 
our  finger-posts,  with  the  representation 
of  a  city  cut  in  it.  The  word  ii^i ,  city, 
is  purposely  indefinite,  the  Article  being 
left  to  be  supplied  by  the  consciences  of 
those  whom  the  prophet  addressed. 

25.  It  may  at  first  siglit  appear  in- 
appropriate, that  Eabbah,  the  metropolis 
of  the  country  of  the  Ammonites,  should 


be  mentioned  before  Jemsalem,  the  guilty 
city  against  which  the  prophet  was  spec- 
ially commissioned  to  denounce  the 
divine  judgments ;  but,  considering  to 
what  an  extent  the  Jews  had  adopted 
the  idols  of  the  Ammonites,  there  was 
a  singular  propriety  in  first  taking  up 
the  heathen  city,  to  intimate  that  as  the 
Jews  had  participated  in  its  crimes  so 
they  might  expect  to  share  in  its  punish- 
ment. ■|i53r-':a  r?"^  ,  Rabbah  of  the  ch  il- 
dren  of  Amvion,  so  called  to  distinguish 
it  from  a  city  of  the  name  of  nS'^^  in  the 
tribe  of  Judah.  It  was  built  on  the 
banks  of  the  river  Moiet-Amman,  which 
empties  itself  into  the  Jabbok.  See  more 
respecting  this  city,  on  chap.  xxv.  1-7. 
Instead  of  simply  expressing  the  name 
of  Jerusalem,  the  other  metropolis,  that 
of  the  inhabitants  is  prefixed,  to  mark 
them  as  the  guilty  objects  of  the  divine 
indignation.  The  reason  why  Jerusalem 
is  here  said  to  be  n^il^Sl ,  dftnccd-^'owH 
seem  to  be,  to  intimate  the  vain  confi- 
dence which  the  Jews  reposed  in  their 
fortifications. 

26.  Nebuchadnezzar  is  supposed  to 
have  marched  his  army  to  a  certain  point 
to  the  west  of  Babylon,  where  the  road 
branched  off  into  the  two  referred  to, 
ver.  24.  Tj'^'ljr]  CX  ,  the  mothei-  of  the  way, 
so  called,  not  as  is  generally  supposed, 
because  there  the  road  divided,  for  that 
is  immediately  afterwards  described,  as 
fi"'=';i~  ''.?^  1^^"'  J  the  head  of  the  two 
ways,  but  because  it  was  the  principal 

road.  Comp.  the  Arab.  lajJoJl  |*( , 
via  viagna  regia.     Here  the  monarch  :•( 


Chap.  XXI.  26-28.] 


EZEKIEL, 


117 


27 


28 


bis  family-gods,  he  shall  inspect  the  liver.  In  his  right  hand 
shall  be  the  divination  of  Jerusalem,  to  place  the  battering  rams, 
to  open  the  mouth  with  the  war-cry,  to  raise  the  voice  with 
shouting,  to  place  battering-rams  at  the  gates,  to  throw  up  walls, 
to  erect  a  watch-tower.  Yet  it  is  to  them  as  a  vain  divination 
in  their  sight ;  they  are  under  the  most  solemn  oaths,  but  he 
will  cause  the  perfidy  to  be  remembered,  that  they  may  be  taken. 


represented  as  having  been  at  a  loss  to 
determine  wliicli  of  the  routes  he  should 
take ;  and,  in  order  to  decide,  as  having 
recourse  to  divination.  Of  this  as  prac- 
tised by  the  ancients  there  were  different 
kinds,  some  of  which  are  here  mentioned. 
f^arja  ^P^P  ,  he  shook  the  an-oics,  i.e. 
the  helmet,  quiver,  or  whatever  else  they 
were  put  into,  ^i;?!?  >  the  Pilpel  of  P'J^  , 
to  be  light,  swift.     Arab.   JuLo  ,  Eth. 

/l  7  I  d\  T  A  '^ommovit,  concussit.  It 
is  most  probable  that  he  caused  the  name 
Jerusalem  to  be  inscribed  on  one 
arrow,  and  Radbaii  on  another,  and  mix- 
ing them  with  others,  determined  to 
march  against  the  city  whose  name  was 
first  drawn  out.  This  mode  of  divining 
by  arrows  was  practised  by  the  Arabs  till 
the  time  of  Mohammed,  who  strictly  pro- 
hibited it  in  the  Koran,  Sur.  iii.  39  ;  v.  4, 
94.  The  art,  as  practised  by  the  Geeks, 
was  known  by  the  name  of  ^iXojxavTiia. 
Another  species  of  divination  to  which 
the  king  of  Babylon  had  recourse,  was 
that  of  looking  into  the  liver  or  the 
entrails  of  a  newly-killed  sacrifice,  and 
judging  that  any  undertaking  would  be 
prosperous  or  otherwise  according  as  they 
were  found  in  a  healthy  or  unhealthy 
state.  This  art  was  called  by  the  Greeks 
UpoffKoiria,  Hicroscopy,  and  is  mentioned 
by  Diodorus  (chap.  ii.  29)  as  practised 
among  the  Chaldeans.  Not  satisfied 
with  the  use  of  these  two  species  of  divi- 
nation Nebuchadnezzar  consulted  the 
fi'^S'^Fl ,  Teraphim,  which  appear  to  have 
been  penates  or  family  gods,  from  whom 
it  was  thought  possible  to  obtain  informa- 
tion relative  to  future  events.  See  Gen. 
xxxi.  19,  34;  Judges  xvii.  5;  xviii.  14. 


27.  The  arrow  with  Jkrusalem  upon 
it  was,  on  being  drawn,  held  by  the  king 
in  his  right  hand,  and  exhibited  to  ani- 
mate his  army  to  prosecute  its  march 
agaiTist  that  city.  Now  follows  the 
adoption  of  the  measures  requisite  for 
besieging  the  city.  H^l)  and  tn^'^in  are 
parallel  with  each  other.  Connected  as 
the  former  term  here  is  with  the  opening 
of  the  month,  it  cannot  well  be  taken  in 
its  usual  signification  of  murder,  but 
must  be  understood,  as  Gesenius  explains, 
as  an  outbreak  of  the  voice :  both  terms 
thus  energetically  expressing  the  horible 
war-shout  of  the  Chaldean  soldiers  when 
commencing  the  attack.  For  fi'^'^3  and 
Pl^'^  sec  on  chap  iv.  2. 

2S.  Dlpp'.  The  Van  is  marked  by  the 
Masoretesas  "l^P"' ,  redundant.  The  pro- 
phet now  represents  the  light  in  which 
the  Jews  were  disposed  to  view  the 
indications  of  the  advance  of  the  Chaldean 
army.  Though  prone  themselves  to  be- 
lieve in  divination,  they  affect  to  despise 
it  when  it  tells  against  them.  That 
the  Jews  and  not  the  Babylonians  are 
intended,  the  connection  convincingly 
shows.  To  the  Jews,  moreover,  the 
second  Cil3  ,  to  them,  may  be  understood 
to  refer,  as  the  Jews  had  come  under 
solemn  engagements  to  be  subject  to  the 
Babylonians,  but  those  engagements  they 
had  violated;  and  for  this,  as  well  as 
their  other  sins,  they  were  now  to  be 
punished.  nS'3'I3  '^'S'Z'O  ,  oaths  of  oaths, 
meaning  the  most  solemn  oaths.  The 
construction  proposed  by  Ewald,  "weeks 
upon  weeks,"  is  less  suitable.  There  is 
nothing  corresponding  to  the  words, 
either  in  the  version  of  the  LXX.  or  the 
Syr.     The  oaths  were   those  the  Jews 


118 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XXI.   28-32. 


29  Wherefore  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  :  Because  ye  are  put  in 
remembrance  of  your  iniquity,  in  your  rebellions  being  revealed, 
in  the  manifestation  of  your  sins  in  all  your  doings ;  because  ye 
are  put  in  remembrance,  with  the  hand  ye  shall  be  taken. 

30  And  thou,  profane  wicked  prince  of  Israel,  whose  day  is  come,  at 

31  the  time  of  the  iniquity  of  the  end :  Thus  saith  the  Lord 
Jehovah  :  Remove  the  tiara,  and  take  away  the  crown ;  this 
shall  not  be  this ;  exalt  him  that  is  low,  and  lay  low  him  that  is 

32  high.  Subversion,  subversion,  subversion,  I  will  make  it ;  this 
also  shall  not  be,  till  he  come  whose  is  the  right,  and  I  will  give 


had  taken  to  the  king  of  Babylon.  i<'«^ , 
he,  refers  to  Nebuchadnezzar,  to  whom 
the  Jews  had  proved  faithless,  and  who 
now  should  recall  to  their  mind  the 
crime  of  perjury,  of  which  they  had 
been  guilty. 

29.  The  Jews  are  now  directly  ad- 
dressed by  the  prophet,  who  expressly 
teaches  them,  that  the  judgment  to  be 
inflicted  upon  them  was  to  be  regarded, 
not  merely  as  a  punishment  of  their 
infidelity  to  the  king  of  Babylon,  but  of 
all  the  sins  which  they  had  committed, 
in  connection  with  idolatry,  against  their 
covenant  God.  Their  acts  of  disobe- 
dience were  so  notorious,  and  they  had 
become  so  universally  depraved  in  their 
conduct,  that  no  course  was  left  but  for 
punishment  to  be  inflicted  upon  them. 

30.  The  prophet  nowpointedly  singles 
out  Zedekiah.  Though  Hiiverniek  and 
Fairbairn  contend  for  "  pierced  through" 
as  the  signification  of -'jn  here,  as  atvcr. 
19,  I  rather  agree  with  the  rendering  of 
our  common  version,  profane,  which  is 
supported  by  the  LXX.,  Vulg.,  and  Sjt., 
and  approved  by  Winer,  Gesenius,  and 
Lee.  That  ?f.n  signifies  not  merely  to 
pierce  through,  slay  with  the  sword,  but 
also  to  make  common,  or  profane,  to  pol- 
lute, defile,  is  so  fully  admitted  as  to 
require  no  proof.  That  monarch,  by  his 
wickedness,  had  desecrated  his  character 
as  the  Lord's  anointed,  and  the  period  of 
his  punishment  had  now  arrived.  His 
reign  and  wickedness  were  to  terminate 
together.  By  y^^  )'i}\ ,  the  iniquiti)  of  the 
end,  is  meant  the  treachery  of  Zedekiah 


towards  Nebuchadnezzar,  by  which  he 
brought  destruction  upon  the  Jewish 
state.  Corap.  vcr.  34  and  chap.  xxxv.  5. 
31,32.  Since  rSSSi:  is  frequently  used 
in  the  Pentateuch  of  the  turban  or  ttara  of 
the  high  priest,  it  has  been  supposed  by 
some,  after  the  Targum :  NlnS::^^  "^l^I? 

S<35"3  n^j:;"iii?D  ,  that  the  same  applica- 
tion of  the  term  is  intended  in  the  present 
case,  and  that  the  design  of  the  prophecy 
is  to  show  that  from  this  time  forth  both 
the  sacerdotal  and  regal  ofiices  were  to 
cease  till  the  advent  of  Messiah,  in  whose 
mediatorial  undertaking  they  should  be 
restored  and  united.  As,  however,  it  is 
the  king,  and  not  the  high  priest,  that  is 
here  expressly  addressed  and  as  t'pr^  > 
a  derivative  from  same  root  with  rSj^ip , 
is  used  of  the  head-dress  both  of  the  one 
dignitary  and  the  other,  Isa.  Ixii.  3 ; 
Zech.  iii.  5,  the  latter  term  may  without 
violence  be  regarded  as  applicable  to  the 
royal  diadem  of  Zedekiah.  Winer, 
Gesenius,  and  Lee  concur  in  this  view 
of  the  passage.  The  use  of  the  two 
terms,  to  express  nearly  the  same  thing, 
forms  no  objection,  since  it  was  no  doubt 
the  object  of  the  projjhet  most  emphati- 
cally to  foretell  the  fact  of  the  complete 
cessation  of  the  royal  rule  in  Judah.  The 
words  ri<T"Nb  rXT  ,-this  not  this,  or  with 
the  substantive  verb  ■^r.'l^  '  understood, 
this  shall  not  be  this,  however  enigmatically 
it  may  sound,  is  very  expressive.  Taking 
the  Feminine  as  a  Neuter,  the  meaning 
is  :  The  present  state  of  things  shall 
cease.    A  complete  revolution  in  Jewish 


Chap.  XXI.  31-33.] 


EZEKIEL. 


119 


33  it  him.  And  thou,  son  of  man,  prophesy  and  say :  Thus  saith 
the  Lord  Jehovah  concerning  the  Ammonites  and  concerning 
tlieir  reproach,  thou  shalt  even  say :  A  sword  !  a  naked  sword ! 
it  is  polished  for  slaughter,  to  consume  because  of  the  glittering. 


affairs  was  at  hand.  That  the  last 
clause  of  the  verse  is  not  to  be  taken  as 
the  enunciation  of  a  general  truth,  fre- 
quently taught  elsewhere  in  Scripture, 
that  God  depresses  the  proud  hut  exalts 
the  lowly,  but  that  it  is  to  be  understood 
specifically  of  the  Messiah  and  of  Zcde- 
kiah,  appears  from  the  direct  reference  to 
the  former  in  the  following  verse.  The 
two  arc  here  placed  in  the  strongest 
contrast :  the  root  out  of  the  dry  ground, 
Isa.  liii.  2,  whom  the  prophet  sees  in  the 
future,  and  the  haughty  monarch  imme- 
diately present  to  his  view  upon  the 
royal  Jewish  throne.  The  commands 
given  in  this  verse  are  a  strong  mode  of 
declaring  prophetically  that  the  things 
should  be  done. 

■^J?  ilJ12  nny ,  subversion,  subversion, 
subversion.  The  threefold  repetition  is 
intensive.  Ilcngstenbcrg  ingeniously 
supposes  that  this  word  M-as  purposely 
chosen  with  reference  to  ')1^' ,  verses  28 
and  29.  Indeed  the  LXX.  and  Vulgate 
have  manifestly  mistaken  the  words  for 
each  other,  rendering  aSiKiav,  aSiKiav, 
aSiKtav  :  iniquitatrm,  iniquitaUm,  iniquita- 
tem.  The  fl  in  "S-aibX  I  would  refer  to 
'^''^?"?  1  the  kinrjdom  or  roi/al  dignity, 
understood  from  the  connection.  The 
like  reference  lies  in  ^^{T,  this,  in  the 
phrase  ri;ri  xb  rXT-DS ,  yea,  this  shall 
not  be :  the  kingdom  should  cease  till  the 
time  specified  immediately  after.     The 

words  i"'ri;:3=i  Ksrariib— ,'JN  xa-'iy , 

until  the  coining  of  him  whose  is  the  right, 
and  I  will  give  it  him,  point  so  obviously 
to  the  Messiah,  that  it  cannot  but  appear 
strange  that  ever  they  should  have  been 
applied  to  any  other  person.  Some  of 
the  Rabbins  and  Schnurrer  interpret 
them  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  who  was  to 
exercise  ^Q'v?  upon  the  Jews.  Grotius, 
as  usual,  applies  it  to  his  favorite  Zerub- 
babel.     By  Abarbanel  and  Abendana, 


however,  the  passage  is  without  scruple 
applied  to  the  Messiah,  as  it  is  expressly 
by  Ewald.  To  him  belonged  I2Q  wSn , 
by  which  is  meant,  not  nj^'iiln ,  the 
righteousness  which  otherwise  is  repre- 
sented as  inherent  in  the  promised 
deliverer,  and  which  was  to  form  the 
distinguishing  feature  of  the  dispensation 
that  he  was  to  introduce,  but  the  just  claim 
which  he  had  to  occupy  the  throne  of  his 
fi^ther  David.  That  K5d73  is  used  to 
signify  right  in  the  sense  of  claim  or  pre- 
rogative, see  Deut.  xviii.  3  ;  1  Sam.  viii. 

9,  11 ;  X.  25;  Jer.  xxxii.  7. 

Between  this  passage  and  Gen.  xlix. 

10,  is  a  remarkable  coincidence,  so  much 
so  that  some  have  supposed  that  our 
propliet  had  the  latter  in  his  eye  when 
he  delivered  it.  It  has  been  maintained 
indeed  that  'iP"'^CX  is  merely  expressing 
in  full  the  abbreviated  form  i^S'J ;  but 
not  to  insist  upon  the  fact,  that  the  read- 
ing of  many  MSS.  is  t^'-''^"*^,  Shi/oh,  as 
in  the  Masoretic  text,  and  not  i^'^^J ,  it 
cannot  be  shown  that  this  abbreviation 
of  the  relative  pronoun,  which  certainly 
occurs  in  the  writings  of  Solomon,  was 
in  use  in  the  time  of  Moses.  In  the 
only  passage  to  which  an  appeal  in  favor 
of  such  usage  has  been  made.  Gen.  vi.  3, 
^?^:?  J  the  rendering  now  most  ajjprovcd 
is,  because  of  their  wandering,  or  trans- 
gression, from  531^ ,  to  err,  goastraij.  The 
strict  parallelism  between  Gen.  xlix. 
10,  and  Ezek.  xxi.  32,  consists  in  what 
is  common  to  both  passages  —  the  per- 
petuation of  the  regal  authority  of  the 
tribe  of  Judah,  in  the  person  and  reign 
of  the  promised  Messiah. 

33.  Lest  it  should  be  supposed  that 
because  Nebuchadnezzar  had  taken  the 
route  to  Jerusalem,  and  not  that  to 
Eabbah,  therefore  the  Ammonites  should 
escape  being  invaded  by  his  army,  the 
prophet  is  instructed  to  denounce  judg- 


120 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XXI.  33-37. 


34  They  have  seen  falsehood  for  thee,  they  have  divined  for  thee  a 
lie,  to  deliver  thee  to  the  necks  of  the  slain  wicked,  whose  day 

35  is  come,  at  the  time  of  the  iniquity  of  the  end.  Shall  it  be  made 
to  return  into  its  sheath  ?  in  the  place  where  thou  wast  created, 

36  in  the  land  of  thy  nativity,  I  will  judge  thee.  And  I  will  pour 
out  my  indignation  upon  thee,  I  will  blow  upon  thee  with  the 
fire  of  my  wrath,  and  deliver  thee  into  the  hand  of  brutish  men, 

37  skilled  in  destroying.  Thou  shalt  be  to  the  fire  for  consump- 
tion :  thy  blood  shall  be  in  the  midst  of  the  land,  thou  shalt  not 
be  remembered,  for  I  Jehovah  have  spoken  it. 


ment  against  them  also,  ^"in  ,  a  sword, 
is  repeated  3'^n  3"in  ,  as  at  vcr.  14,  and 
the  same  participial  form  nL2^"i5a  is 
employed  as  there.  ^"^^"7  >  which  some 
improperly  refer  to  ?^3 ,  signifying  to  be 
able,  is  simply  the  infinitive  in  Hiphil  of 
53  X ,  to  devour,  the  N  quiescing  in 
Kamets.  See  Gesenius's  Lehrgebaiide, 
p.  333.  P'72  yjp^  is  to  be  connected 
with  Hull's  in  sense.  The  '^Q'^~  > 
reproach,  with  which  the  Ammonites  are 
here  charged,  was  their  opprobrious  and 
insulting  treatment  of  the  Hcbrcvi's  at 
different  periods  of  their  history,  and 
especially  when  Jerusalem  was  taken  by 
the  Chaldeans.  See  on  chap.  xxv.  3,  G  ; 
Amos  i.  13-15. 

34.  niT^i  and  ^0(7  are  historical  Infini- 
tives. The  Ammonites  also  had  those 
who  pr.actised  divination,  and  flattered 
them  with  assurances  of  safety ;  but 
Ezekiel  declares  that  they  should  prove 
fallacious.  The  feminine  afBxcs  in  Tj' 
and  T^rnK  refer  to  "j'^X  ,  the  country  of  the 
Ammonites,  which  is  to  be  understood 
of  its  inhabitants.  They  were  to  be 
added  to  the  number  of  the  slain  Jews 
whose  wickedness  had  finally,  in   the 


providence  of  God,  brought  the  Chaldean 
aiTny  from  Babylon.  Both  were  to  share 
the  same  fate.  Schnurrer  remarks  that 
the  phrase  :  D'^^^n  "^  jN^.:i  ,  the  necks  of 
the  slain,  is  used  poetically  for  the  slain 
themselves,  whose  headless  trunks  are 
represented  ^s  stretched  on  the  ground. 
35-37.  These  verses  are  by  some 
referred  to  the  Chaldeans,  but  I  am 
rather  inclined  to  regard  them  as  a  con- 
tinuation of  the  threatening  against  the 
Ammonites.  They  were  not  to  be  carried 
away  captives,  like  the  Jews  to  Babylon, 
Lut  were  to  perish  in  their  own  land. 
While  the  Jews  were  to  be  restored  after 
the  captivity  had  cured  them  of  idolatry, 
the  Ammonitish  kingdom  was  to  cease 
for  ever.  The  prophecy  was  fulfilled  five 
years  after  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem. 
t"'"i"3  ,  brutish,  not  in  the  sense  of  stupid, 
unintelligent,  but  ferocious.  LXX.  Pap- 
^dpcDv.  The  question,  Whether  Gcd 
should  cause  the  hostile  operations  of 
the-  Chaldeans  to  cease  when  they  had 
destroyed  the  Jewish  polity,  is  to  be 
answered  in  the  negative  ;  as  it  in  effect 
is  in  the  following  denouncement  of 
judgment  upon  the  children  of  Ammon. 


Chap.  XXII.  2-6.]  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  121 


CHAPTER    XXII. 

The  prophet,  having  in  the  preceding  chapter  exhausted  what  has  not  improperly  been 
called  the  prophecy  of  the  sword,  resumes  the  subject  of  the  enormous  guilt  of  the 
Jewish  nation,  on  which  he  had  historically  expatiated  in  chapter  twentieth.  He 
begins  by  reciting  the  enormous  crimes  of  which  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem  were 
guilty,  1-12.  He  then,  in  an  episode,  predicts  the  punishment  which  was  about  to  be 
inflicted  upon  them,  partly  in  plain  terms,  and  partly  in  imagery  borrowed  from 
met;!llurgy,  13-22.  The  third  section  of  the  chapter  comprises  a  review  of  their  moral 
corruption,  as  pervading  the  dill'erent  orders  of  society,  and  bringing  down  upon  the 
nation  the  righteous  indignation  of  Jehovah,  2.3-31. 

1  Moreover  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying  :  And  thou, 

2  son  of  man,  wilt  thou  judge,  wilt  thou  judge  the  bloody  city  ? 

3  cause  her  then  to  know  all  her  abominations.  And  say  :  Thus 
saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  :  The  city  sheddeth  blood  in  the  midst 
of  her  that  her  time  may  come,  and  maketh  idols  within  her  to 

4  defile  her.  Through  thy  blood  which  thou  hast  shed,  thou  art 
guilty,  and  through  thine  idols  which  thou  hast  made,  thou  art 
polluted  ;  therefore  thou  causest  thy  days  to  approach,  and  art 
come  to  thy  years  :  therefore  have  I  rendered  thee  a  reproach  to 

5  the  nations,  and  a  scorn  to  all  lands.  Those  that  are  near,  and 
those  that  are  distant  from  thee,  shall  mock  thee,  thou  polluted 

6  of  name,  and  very  tumultuous  !  Behold,  the  princes  of  Israel, 
each  according  to  his  power,  were  in  thee  that  they  might  shed 

2,  3.  Compare  chap.  xx.  4.  On  ac-  and  the  latter  of  the  captivity  in  Baby- 
count  of  the  murders  committed  in  Ion.  For  Ni^H  we  should  have  expected 
Jerusalem,  and  the  offering  of  children  "^NiDn  in  the  feminine  to  agree  with  "T^^* , 
in  sacrifice  to  Moloch,  she  might  well  be  but  regarding  D?  ^  people,  as  understood, 
denominated  0"'^'^?!!  "i"^?,  the  citi/  of  the  discrepancy  in  point  of  gender  is 
bloods,  or  the  bloody  city,  comp.  vers.  3,  4,  removed. 

6,  9;  xxiv.  6,  9.      In  this   respect  she  5.  Cljjri  ITii.'C'J  ,  lit.  the  polluted  o/naiiie, 

rivalled  Nineveh,  Nah.  iii.  1,  and  might  not   inaptly   rendered    in  our   common 

justly  anticipate  the  same  doom.     ?  in  version,  infamous.      LXX.   a.K<xdapros  it 

NiS'  is,  as  Rosemiiller  observes,  Za??i(r(i  ovoixaaTt).    Formerly  Jerusalem  had  been 

eventuale,  pointing  out  the  result  of  the  renowned  as   ^"Ipfl  "i"'j? ,  the  hohj  citij. 

sins  of  the   people,  in  the   catastrophe  Now  it  had  been  defiled  by  every  kind  of 

which  they  brought  upon  them.    Instead  crime.    Tyq'T\'^.'i^  T\'^''\,cireut  of  confusion, 

of   deriving   any  advantage  from  their  tumultuous,  from  the  seditions  and  vio- 

idolatries,  they  were  only  involved  there-  lence  which  obtained  among  the  inhab- 

by  in  ruin.  itants.     To  all,  both  far  and  near,  the 

4.  For  *I?  two  MSS.  read  ^?  which  Jewish  metropolis  was  to  be  an  object 

is  expressed  in  all  the  ancient  versions,  of  derision. 

The  Jewish  commentators   distinguish  6.  Instead  of  reigning   according  to 

between  the  "days"  and  the  "years"  law  and  justice,  the  princes  of  Judah, 

here  mentioned,  interpreting  the  former  acted    in   the    most    despotic    manner, 

of  the  siege  and  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  crushing  by  the  strong  arm  of  power  all 
11 


122  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  XXII.  7-1 G. 

7  blood.  They  treated  lightly  father  and  mother  in  thee ;  they 
oppressed  the  stranger  in  the  midst  of  thee ;  they  maltreated 

8  the  orphan  and  the  widow  in  thee.     Thou   hast  des^^iscd  my 

9  sanctuaries,  and  thou  hast  profaned  my  sabbaths ;  Tale-bearers 
were  in  thee  in  order  to  shed  blood  ;  they  ate  on  the  mountains 
in  thee ;    they  have  committed  atrocious  wickedness  in   thee : 

10  A  fathers    nakedness   was   uncovered  in    thee ;    her    that  was 

11  removed  for  the  menses  they  humbled  in  thee.  And  one 
committed  abomination  with  his  neighbor's  wife,  and  another 
hath  atrociously  defiled  his  own  daughter-in-law  ;  and  another 

12  in  thee  hath  humbled  his  sister,  his  father's  daughter.  They 
took  a  bribe  in  thee  in  order  to  shed  blood.  Thou  tookest  usury 
and  increase,  and  hast  done  violence  to  thy  neighbor  by  oppres- 
sion, and  hast  forgotten  me,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah. 

13  Therefore,  behold,  I  have  smitten  my  hand  at  thine  unjust  gain 

which  thou  hast  acquired,  and  at  thy  blood  which  hath  been  in 

14  the  midst  of  thee.  Shall  thy  heart  endure,  or  thy  hands  be 
strong,  in  the  days  when  I  shall  deal  with  thee  ?     I  Jehovah 

15  have  spoken,  and  will  do  it.  Yea,  I  will  disperse  thee  among 
the  nations,  and  scatter  thee  among  the  countries,  and  consume 

16  thine  impurity  out  of  thee.  And  thou  shalt  be  polluted  in  thy- 
self in  the  sight  of  the  nations,  and  thou  shalt  know  that  I  am 

17  Jehovah.     And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying : 

who  were  the  objects  of  their  personal  "  projcctissimaatllibidinem  gens,  aliena- 

displcasure.     ?Tlt  >  arm,  metaphorically  rum  concubitu  abstinent,  inter  se  nihil 

power,  strength.  illicitura."      (Hist.  lib.  v.  cap.  5).     The 

7-12.    An    enumeration   of  sins   ex-  crowning  sin  with  which  the  Jews  are 

pressly  forbidden  in  the  law  of  Moses,  charged,  and  that  which  is  strictly  speak- 

which    were     rampant    in    Jerusalem,  ing  the  source  of  all  sin,  is  forgetfulness 

idpN ,  ^■'S'l ,   lit.  men  of  traffic,  ver.  9,  of  God,  ver.  12.     It  is  only  as  God  is 

those  who  went  about  for  purposes  of  kept  out  of  view  as  the  omnipresent, 

trade,  pedlars  ;   and,  as  such  generally  omniscient,   holy,   and   righteous    Gov- 

propagated  reports,  the  phrase  came  to  ernor  of  the  world  that  sin  can  be  in- 

beusedin  thcsenseof  tafe-6e«rers.    Those  dulged  in. 

here  referred  to  appear  to  have  been  what  13.  "Smiting  with  the  hand  "  was  a 

in   the  present  day  we   call '  iuformers.  gesture   expi'essive   of  displeasure   and 

PX^p ,  iT^ii^  5  ver.  10;    the  rendering  grief. 

oi  \h&  common  \Qr&\ox\,  set  apart  for  pol-  14.  However   sinners  may  brave  the 

lution,   suggests    the    idea   of  a  female  divine  threatenings,  their  courage  and 

devoted  to  prostitution,  whereas  all  that  imaginary  strength  must  fail  when  God 

the  Hebrew  expresses  is  one  that  is  un-  cxceuteth  his  judgments  upon  them. 

clean  by  reason  of  the   menstrual  dis-  l.'S,  16.  The  object  to  be  attained  by 

charge.     The  character  of  the  Jews,  as  the   dispersion   of  the  Jews  was   their 

heredescribed,  is  aptly  given  by  Tacitus:  recovery  from   idolatry   and    from   the 


Chap.  XXII.  17-25.] 


EZEKIEL. 


123 


18 


19 


20 


21 
22 


23 

24 

25 


Son  of  man,  the  house  of  Israel  are  become  dross  to  me ;  all 
of  them  are  brass,  and  tin,  and  iron,  and  lead,  in  the  midst  of 
the  furnace ;  they  are  dross  of  silver.  Therefore  thus  saith  the 
Lord  Jehovah :  Because  ye  are  all  become  dross,  therefore, 
behold,  I  will  collect  you  into  the  midst  of  Jerusalem.  As  men 
collect  silver,  and  brass,  and  iron,  and  lead,  and  tin,  in  the  midst 
of  the  furnace,  to  blow  the  fire  upon  it  to  melt  it,  so  will  I  col- 
lect you  in  mine  anger  and  in  my  fury,  and  will  leave  you,  and 
melt  you ;  I  will  even  gather  you,  and  blow  upon  you  in  the 
fire  of  mine  indignation,  and  melt  you  in  the  midst  thereof.  As 
the  melting  of  silver  in  the  midst  of  the  furnace,  so  shall  ye  be 
melted  in  the  midst  thereof,  and  ye  shall  know  that  I  Jehovah 
have  poured  out  my  fury  upon  you.  And  the  word  of  Jehovah 
came  unto  me,  saying :  Son  of  man,  say  to  her.  Thou  art  a 
land  not  cleared,  nor  rained  upon  in  the  day  of  indignation. 
There  is  a  conspiracy  of  her  prophets  in  the  midst  of  her,  as 
a  roaring  lion  tearing  the  prey ;  they  devour  souls,  they  take 
away  treasure  and  precious  things ;  her  widows  they  multiplied 


polluting  influences  which  followed  in 
its  train.  7(2  ^-rlrl-  The  only  trans- 
lation of  these  words,  which  suits  the 
connection,  is  that  given  in  the  margin 
of  the  common  version  :  a7id  thou  shall 
be  profantd  in  thijsc/f.  The  verh  is  the 
regular  Niphal  form  of  --^n »  '"  pierce, 
mahe  common,  profane,  pollute;  and  the 
meaning  appears  to  be  :  thou  shalt  be 
inwardly  conscious  of  thy  polluted  con- 
dition, and  shalt  loathe  thyself  on  account 
of  thy  sins.  There,  among  the  heathen, 
thou  shalt  learn  to  appreciate  my  charac- 
ter as  a  God  of  holiness,  righteousness, 
and  truth. 

18-22.  In  imagery  borrowed  from  the 
art  of  smelting  metals,  the  inhabitants 
of  Judea  are  represented  as  a  mass  of 
the  baser  metals  intermixed  with  the 
impure  residue  of  silver.  They  had 
altogether  become  a  compound  of  wicked- 
ness, and  were  to  be  gathered  together 
in  Jerusalem,  as  into  a  furnace,  and 
there  smolten  in  the  fire  of  the  divine 
indignation.  Compare  Jer.  vi.  29,  .30. 
nnS ,  ver.  20,  is  the  infinitive  of  n£3 , 
to  blow. 


23.  The  prophet,  having  given  a  re- 
cital of  the  sins  which  prevailed  in  Judah, 
and  described  the  punishment  to  be 
inflicted  on  account  of  them,  is  now 
charged  to  expose  to  view  the  wicked- 
ness of  those  who  held  office  iu  the 
land,  but  who,  instead  of  setting  a  good 
example  to  the  people,  were  ringleaders 
in  sin. 

24.  The  early  and  latter  rain  having 
been  withheld,  the  land  had  become  un- 
productive, and  the  fields  not  having 
been  cleared  or  cultivated,  all  was  a 
scene  of  wildness  and  desolation  —  a  fit 
emblem  of  the  moral  state  of  the  nation. 

25.  For  this  and  the  two  following 
verses,  compare  Zeph.  iii.  3,  4.  The 
false  prophets  are  first  singled  out,  on 
account  of  the  greater  influence  which 
they  exerted  in  seducing  the  people  by 
their  impious  teachings.  Not  satisfied 
with  each  propagating  error  within  his 
own  sphere,  they  had  formed  a  complot 
to  oppose  the  messages  of  the  servants 
of  the  Lord.  Thus  forming  a  powerful 
body,  they  resembled  a  roaring  lion, 
tearing  in  pieces  his  prey.  Unconcerned 


124 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XXII.  25-29, 


26  in  the  midst  of  her.  Her  priests  did  violence  to  my  law,  and 
profaned  my  sanctuaries ;  they  made  no  distinction  between  the 
holy  and  the  imclean ;  and  they  distinguished  not  the  unclean 
from  the  pure,  and  hid  their  eyes  from  my  sabbaths,  and  I  was 

27  polluted  in  their  midst.  Her  princes  in  her  midst  were  as 
wolves  tearing  the  pi"ey,  shedding  blood,  destroying  souls  for  the 

28  sake  of  unjust  gain.  And  her  prophets  plaster  them  over  with 
lime,  seeing  falsehood,  and  divining  for  them  a  lie,  saying : 
Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah ;  and  Jehovah  hath  not  spoken. 

29  As  for  the  people  of  the  land,  they  exercise  violence,  and 
indulge  in  rapine :  they  maltreat  the  poor  and  the  needy,  and 

30  oppress  the  stranger  with  injustice.  And  I  sought  of  them  a 
man  to  build  up  the  wall,  and  to  stand  in  the  breach  before  me 
on  behalf  of  the  land,  that  I  might  not  destroy  it ;  but  none  did 


about  the  welfare  of  the  souls  of  whom 
they  professedly  had  the  cure,  and  intent 
only  upon  their  own  gain,  they  had  occa- 
sioned the  death  of  those  who  perished 
in  the  war  with  the  Chaldeans,  and  thus 
increased  the  nuiiibcr  of  widows. 

26.  The  priests,  whose  lips  should 
have  kept  knowledge,  Mai.  ii.  7,  lOpPl , 
did  violence  to  the  law  by  wresting  its 
words  from  their  natural  signification 
and  putting  a  false  construction  upon 
the  doctrines  taught  in  it.  They  like- 
wise profaned  the  ordinances  of  the  Lord's 
house  by  admitting  persons  indiscrim- 
inately to  participate  in  the  observance 
of  them,  and  made  no  distinction  between 
the  Sabbath  and  other  days  of  the  week, 
giving  license  to  sinful  indulgences  on 
that  saci'cd  day.  How  deteriorating  such 
conduct  must  have  been  in  its  influence 
upon  the  morality  and  piety  of  a  nation, 
may  easily  be  conceived. 

27.  The  D"'f'7  >  princes,  instead  of  em- 
ploying the  influence  which  their  elevated 
position  supplied,  for  promoting  the 
welfare  of  the  people,  had  nothing  in 
view  but  the  gratification  of  their  own 
avarice,  which  they  sought  to  obtain 
in  the  most  unscrupulous  manner,  not 
sticking  at  murder  and  fraud.  The 
wolf  is  an  animal  noted  for  its  fierceness, 
cruelty,  and  rapacity. 


28.  The  false  prophets,  by  flatly  con- 
tradicting the  messages  sent  by  Jehovah, 
and  assuring  the  princes  that  the  king 
of  Babylon  would  not  take  Jerusalem, 
flattered  their  prejudices,  and  encouraged 
them  in  their  resolution  not  to  submit. 
Comp.  chap.  xiii.  10 ;  Jer.  xxiii.  16,  17  ; 
xxvii.  9,  10. 

29.  Byy'ixn  ^'li  the  people  of  the  land, 
as  placed  here  immediately  after  the 
classification  of  persons  holding  office, 
we  are  to  understand  the  inhabitants 
generally,  without  distinction  of  rank  or 
offic*.  Corruption  had  spread  down- 
wards through  the  whole  mass  of  the 
community  (Jer.  v.  1-4).  The  words  are 
to  be  taken  as  the  nominativs  absolute, 
and  not,  with  some,  as  the  accusative. 
■^S  ,  the  stranger,  is  rendered  by  the  LXX. 
irpoaiiKvTov.  So  far  from  encouraging, 
by  their  kindness  and  their  holy  example, 
those  foreigners  who  sojourned  among 
them  to  devote  themselves  in  spirit  and 
truth  to  the  service  of  Jehovah,  the  Jews 
did  everything  that  was  calculated  to 
alienate  them  from  his  worship.  As  all 
oppression  is  unjust,  it  may  at  first 
sight  strike  a  reader  as  strange,  that  the 
prophet  should  add  123-73  X53  ,  unjusthj; 
but  the  phrase  is  used  merely  for  the 
sake  of  enhancing  the  aggravation  of 
the  crime. 


Chap.  XXIII.  2-4.] 


EZEKIEL. 


125 


31  I  find.  Therefore  will  I  pour  mine  indignation  upon  them  ;  in 
the  fire  of  my  wrath  I  will  consume  them ;  I  will  render  their 
way  upon  their  own  head,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah. 

30,  31.    This  is  strong  language,  to  express  the  universality  of  the  defection 
from  Jeliovah. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 


Under  the  allegory  of  two  sisters,  the  cities  of  Samaria  and  Jerusalem  are  presented  to 
view  for  the  purpose  of  reprobating  the  idolatries  of  the  kingdoms  of  Israel  and  Judah; 
each  being  the  metropolis  of  its  respective  kingdom.  The  same  strong  metaphorical 
language  is  employed  as  in  chapter  xvi.,  for  the  purpose  of  more  powerfully  exciting 
feelings  of  disgust  at  foreign  alliances  and  the  abominations  of  idolatry. 

1  And    the   word    of   Jehovah    came   unto   me,   saying:    Son   of 

2  man,    there    were    two    women,    daughters    of     one    mother : 

3  And  they  committed  lewdness  in  Egypt :  they  were  lewd  in 
their  youth  :  there  men  joressed  their  breasts,  and  there  they 

4  pressed  the  paps  of  their  virginity.  And  their  names  were: 
Aholah,  the  elder,  and  Aholibah,  her  sister :  and  they  were 
mine,  and   they   begat   sons   and  daughters ;    and  their  names 


2.  These  two  cities  had  a  common 
mother  —  the  Hebrew  people  ;  regard 
being  had  to  what  they  liad  become  in 
the  possession  of  that  people. 

3.  The  object  of  the  representation  in 
this  verse  is  not  to  teach  that  the  two 
kingdoms  existed  as  such  in  the  time  of 
the  sojourn  in  Egypt,  but  to  trace  back 
the  idolatry  of  those  who  afterwards 
composed  them  to  that  early  period  in 
the  history  of  the  Hebrews.     Compare 

chap.  XX.  6,  7,  8.  T)?^ »  Arab.  i^XjUO  , 
fricuit,  here  press,  compress.  The  Egyp- 
tians are  understood  as  the  nominative 
to  'IviJjJ  the  corresponding  verb  in  tlie 
parallelism.  Mby  occurs  in  Picl  only 
here  and  in  verse  8,  and  is  expressive  of 
the  acting  of  eager  or  intense  desire. 
The  last  clause  of  the  verse  is  rendered 
in  the  LXX.  e'/ce?  oieTtapd^VivQriffav. 

4.  The  force  of  the  distinctive  use  of 
the  two  names  •^^'^.ij ,  Aholah,  and 
•^^'^r!^:? '  Aholibah,  lies  in  the  circum- 
stance, that  the  former,  signifying  her  or 


her  own  tent,  intimates  that  the  worship 
celebrated  at  Samaria  was  self-invented  ; 
it  had  never  received  the  sanction  of 
Jehovah,  but,  on  the  contrary,  had 
always  been  marked  as  an  object  of 
his  abhorrence;  whereas  the  latter  sig- 
nifying my  tent  is  in  her,  is  expressive 
of  the  appropriation  of  Jerusalem  and 
the  temple-worship  by  Jehovah,  as  hav- 
ing his  divine  and  gracious  warrant. 
""f  '^?^^n'?^  1  and  they  were  mine.  Pre- 
vious to  the  apostasy  under  Jeroboam, 
Samaria,  equally  with  Jerusalem,  wor- 
shipped the  true  God.  Their  inhabitants 
were  sons  and  daughters  of  the  Lord 
Almighty.  He  never  renounced  his 
right  to  the  Israelites  as  subjects  of  the 
theocracy,  but  sent  prophets  to  declare 
his  will  to  them  and  warn  them  against 
idolatry.  The  northern  kingdom  was 
the  splierc  of  the  special  labors  of  Elijah 
and  Elisha.  Thus  "'nnri ,  ver.  5,  under 
me,  i.e.  when  subject  to  me  as  their  law- 
ful husband.  Samaria  is  said  to  be  the 
elder,  or  the  greater,   nbi^arj,  not  in 


126 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XXIII.  5-11. 


9 
10 


were,  —  Samaria,  Aholab ;  and  Jerusalem,  Aliolibah.  And 
Aholah  committed  lewdness  under  me,  and  indulged  in  lust  with 
her  lovers,  with  the  Assyrians,  her  neighbors.  Clothed  in  pur- 
13le,  governers  and  captains,  desirable  young  men,  all  of  them, 
cavaliers  riding  on  horses.  And  she  bestowe-d  her  lewdness 
upon  them,  all  of  them  the  choicest  sons  of  Assyria,  and  she 
was  defiled  with  all  with  whom  she  indulged  in  lust  and  with 
all  their  idols.  Neither  did  she  abandon  her  lewdnesses  from 
the  Egyptians  :  for  they  lay  with  her  in  her  youth ;  they  also 
pressed  the  paps  of  her  virginity,  and  poured  their  lewdness  upon 
her.  Wherefore  I  delivered  her  into  the  hand  of  her  lovers,  into 
the  hand  of  the  Assyrians  upon  whom  she  doted.  These 
uncovered  her  nakedness ;  they  took  away  her  sons  and  her 
daughters,  and  slew  her  with  the  sword,  and  she  became  a  name 


point  of  age,  for  Jerusalem  had  the 
priority  in  this  respect,  but  witli  respect 
to  defection  from  the  pure  worship  of 
Jehovah. 

5.  From  this  verse  to  the  tentli  the 
subject  treated  of  is  Samaria,  or  the 
kiflgdom  of  the  ten  tribes.  The  adul- 
terous connection  of  the  Israelites  with 
the  Assyrians  is  metaphorically  descrip- 
tive of  the  alliance  which  Mcnahem  their 
king  formed  with  Pul  the  king  of  Assyria, 
whose  favor  he  purchased  with  a  large 
sum  of  monej'  (2  Kings  xv.  19,  20). 
Not  only,  however,  did  this  transaction 
involve  a  transfer  of  the  confidence  they 
had  placed  in  Jehovah  as  the  king  of 
Israel,  but  opened  the  door  for  the 
entrance  of  idolatry.  -?^  is  a  verb  of 
rare  occurrence,  being  found  only  once 
in  Jeremiah,  and  six  times  in  Ezekicl, 
and  the  punctuation  3i«"n  is  altogether 
unique  ;  but  its  signification  is  well 
established  by  the  passages  in  which  it 
is  used  as  well  as  by  that  of  the  cognate 

Arabic   v,.^£\^  j    miratus,   admiratione 

affectusfuit.  The  preposition  ??  follow- 
ing the  verb,  adds  to  the  force  of  the 
signification.  The  Assyrians  might  be 
called  n"^31~ip ,  7ieii/hbors  of  the  Israelites, 
because  their  country  bordered  on  that 
of  the  latter,  which  at  the  time  here 
referred  to  extended  as  far  eastwai'd  as 
the  Euphrates. 


6.  The  only  difference  of  signification 
between  ninS  and  C32ip  seems  to  be 
that  the  former  denoted  civil,  and  the 
latter  military  governors  of  provinces. 
See  Jer.  li.  57,  where  n"':50  and  C-^naa 
are  closely  connected ;  LXX.  r,yovnevovs 
Koi  a-Tpa.Tr\yois.  Their  gorgeous,  splen- 
did ajiparel  and  youthful  appearance 
attracted  the  libidinous  Israelites. 

7.  From  the  reference  to  idols  at  the 
end  of  this  verse,  it  is  manifest  that  the 
alliances  with  the  Assyrians  were  not 
merely  of  a  political  nature. 

8.  The  Egyptian  idolatries  here  re- 
ferred to  were  the  worship  of  the  idol- 
calves,  to  which  the  Hebrews  had  been 
addicted  while  resident  in  that  country, 
and  which  Jeroboam  established  among 
the  ten  tribes. 

9.  10.  The  northern  kingdom  was 
punished  for  its  idolatry  by  being  invaded 
by  Shalmaneser,  who  took  Samaria,  and 
carried  the  Israelites  captive  into  Assyria, 
Media,  and  the  adjacent  countries  of 
the  East.  Q-'Crb  cd-^nni,  and  she 
became  a  name  to  women,  she  was  rendered 
as  notorious  by  her  punishment  as  she 
had  been  by  her  crimes.  She  was  made 
an  example  to  which  an  appeal  could 
be  made  by  other  states. 

1 1 .  The  pi'ophet  now  turns  to  Aholibah, 
or  Jerusalem,  as  the  metropolis  and 
representative  of  the  southern  kingdom. 
Though  her  inhabitants  witnessed  the 


Chap.  XXIII.  11-16.] 


EZEKIEL 


127 


11  to  women,  and  they  executed  judgments  upon  her.  And  her 
sister  Aholibah  saw  it,  and  acted  more  corruptly  in  lust  than 
she,  and  her  lewdnesses  were  grosser  than  those  of  her  sister, 

12  To  the  sons  of  Assyria  she  extended  her  lust,  governors  and 
cajitains,  her  neighbors,  clothed  in  perfection,  cavaliers  riding 

13  on  horses,  all  of  them  desirable  young  men.     And  I  saw  that 

14  she  was  defiled ;  there  was  one  way  to  them  both.  And  she 
added  to  her  lewdnesses,  Avhen  she  saw  men    portrayed  upon 

15  the  wall,  images  of  Chaldeans  portrayed  with  vermilion,  Girded 
with  girdles  on  their  loins,  and  dyed  tiaras  upon  their  heads,  all 
of  them  in  appearance  military  commanders,  like  the  sons  of 

16  Babylon,  whose  native  country  was  Chaldea.  And  she  indulged 
in  lust  with  them  when  she   saw  them,  and   sent   messengers 


destruction  of  the  kinfrdom  of  Israel, 
instead  of  taking  warning  from  it,  they 
not  only  persisted  in  idolatrous  practices, 
but  carried  their  indulgence  in  tliem  to 
still  greater  lengths. 

12.  The  reference  here,  as  Jarchi 
rightly  interprets,  is  to  the  application 
made  by  Ahaz  to  Tiglatli-pileser  for 
liis  assistance  against  the  Syrians  and 
Israelites,  recorded  2  Kings  xvi.  7-9, 
which  led  to  the  idolatrous  transaction 
at  Damascus,  and  the  introduction  of 
the  Syrian  idolatry  into  Jerusalem,  ibid. 
10-16;  2  Chron.  xxviii.  16-25.  '''Ojzh 
pibD^  some  consider  to  mean,  clad  in 
complete  armor  —  the  latter  term  being 
considered  as  equivalent  to  TravoTr\la. 
Regarding  it,  however,  as  designed  to 
qualify  the  dress  of  the  military  leaders, 
it  seems  better  to  retain  the  idea  of  perfec- 
tion, which  it,  as  well  as  ''^^^j  expresses, 
and  interpret  it  of  the  splendidness  or 
gorgeous  appearance  of  their  apparel. 
The  costume  of  the  Assyrian  cavalry 
may  be  seen  in  the  sculptures  brought 
by  Layard  from  Nineveh,  which  display 
all  the  magnificence  of  Oriental  finery. 

13.  "inx  T^^v! ,  07ie  iccuj.  Both  alike 
renounced  their  confidence  in  their  cov- 
enant God,  and  adopted  the  idolatrous 
practices  of  the  heathen. 

14-16.  It  has  been  questioned  where 
the  Jews  could  have  seen  the  pictures 
here  described.     That  they  were  in  Jeru- 


salem would  appear  from  what  is  stated 
ver.  16,  that  when  they  saw  them  they 
sent  to  Chaldea  for  the  oi-iginals.  In 
all  probability  these  images  had  been 
imported  along  with  the  objects  of  idol- 
atrous worship,  Avhich  were  pictured  on 
the  inside  of  the  walls  of  the  temple. 
See  chap.  viii.  10.  Tiie  language  f^i'n^ 
"'"'iT'j"'"  1  portrat/ed  vpon  the  icall,  is 
common  to  both  passages.  For  ^^|1^ , 
vermilion,  see  on  Jer.  xxii.  14.  Struck 
with  the  gallant  appearance  of  these 
military  leaders,  the  Jews  could  not  rest 
satisfied  without  entering  into  an  alli- 
ance with  the  Chaldean  power,  then 
established  at  Babylon.  On  what  oc- 
casion the  embassy  here  referred  to  took 
place,  does  not  appear  from  the  page  of 
sacred  history,  but  most  probably  it  was 
when  apprehensions  were  entertained  of 
an  attack  on  the  part  of  Egypt.  For 
the  Chaldeans,  see  on  Isa.  xxiii.  13. 
Though  now  possessors  of  Babylon,  the 
land  of  their  nativity  lay  between  the 
Black  and  Caspian  seas.  D"'?^ab3 ,  djed 
turbans.  That  these  were  of  a  large 
size,  appears  from  the  nse  of  D'^n"'^p 
put  in  the  construct  "'H'llp ,  from  the 
root  fi'^D ,  to  be  ample,  redundant,  He- 
rodotus describes  the  Babylonians  as 
having  ras  Ke<ba\as  /j-lrpriai  avaS^ovrai, 
i.  195.  D-'lliiblS ,  a  first-rate  class  of 
military  men,  so  called  because  they 
occupied  chariots  by  threes,  one  of  whom 


128 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XXIII.  16-22. 


17  to  them  to  Chaldea.  And  the  sons  of  Babylon  came  to 
hei*  into  the  bed  of  love,  and  defiled  her  with  their  lewdness, 
and  she  was  defiled  bj^  them,  and  her  soul  was  alienated  from 

18  them.  Then  her  lewdness  was  revealed,  and  her  nakedness 
uncovered,  and    my  soul    became    alienated   from   her,  as   my 

19  soul  had  become  alienated  from  her  sister.  And  she  multiplied 
her  lewdnesses,  recollecting  the  days  of  her  youth,  when  she 

20  committed  lewdness  in  Egypt.  And  she  indulged  in  lust  with 
her  paramours,  whose  flesh  was  as  the  flesh  of  asses,  and  their 

21  issue  as  the  issue  of  horses.  Thus  didst  thou  call  to  remembrance 
the  crime  of  thy  youth,  when  they  of  Egypt  pressed  thy  paps,  for 

22  the  sake  of  the  breasts  of  thy  youth.  Therefore,  O  Aholibah, 
thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Behold,  I  will  raise  up  thy  lovers 
against  thee,  from  whom  thy  soul  is  alienated,  and  will  bring  them 


guided  the  horses,  while  the  other  two 
engaged  in  battle  with  the  enemy.  I 
do  not  know  a  better  phrase  in  our 
language  by  which  to  express  the  He- 
brew than  charioteers ;  German  Wagen- 
hsmpfi-r. 

17.  Fond  as  the  Jews  were  of  this 
illegitimate  alliance  with  the  Chaldeans, 
they  soon  found  that  it  cost  them  dear, 
and  their  love  was  exchanged  for  haired, 
as  is  sooner  or  later  the  case  with  all 
illicit  love.  Compare  2  Sam.  xiii.  15. 
Jehoiakim  proved  unfaithful  to  his  pledge, 
which  incensed  Nebuchadnezzar,  and  first 
brought  the  Chaldean  army  as  enemies 
against  Jerusalem.  The  cognate  verbs 
2>i2^  and  ^'i^5  employed  in  this  and  the 

following  verse,  Arab.  «j)«  ,  cecidit,  sese 

obtulit,  signify  to  rend  away,  turn  from  : 
here,  to  be  alienated  from  another  in 
affection,  and  implies  the  disgust  which 
follows  in  consequence.  LXX.  koI  kire- 
CTT)  i;  '^vxh  CLVTrts  ott'  avrSiv. 

18-21.  When  the  divine  displeasure 
was  manifested  against  Judah  by  the 
first  invasion  on  the  part  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, instead  of  rejecting  her  false 
confidences,  abandoning  her  idolatries, 
and  returning  to  the  worship  and  service 
of  her  covenant  God,  she  indulged  the 
gratification  of  her  lustful  propensities 
in  the  most  open  and  shameless  manner 


—  having  recourse  anew  to  the  grossest 
idolatries  of  the  Egyptians  which  she 
had  cherished  at  the  earliest  period  of 
her  history.  "iSt.^)  caUinrj  to  renienihrunce, 
I  would  refer  to  Jerusalem,  the  subject 
of  discourse,  and  not,  with  some,  to 
Jehovah.  The  use  of  D^dJ^Q  in  the 
masculine  is  singular,  occuring  only  in 
this  place.  The  word  has  been  supposed 
by  some  to  have  been  of  Greek  derivation, 
from  Tra\A.a| ;  but  it  is  just  as  probable 
that  the  Greek  was  derived  from  the 
Hebrew,  or  some  other  of  the  Semitic 
dialects.  The  pronominal  affix  Df^, 
their,  in  C)fiiu;5^Q ,  refers  to  the  Egyp- 
tians. '''JirSPl ,  Jerusalem  may  be  said 
to  have  visited  her  early  lewdness  when 
she  renewed  her  intercourse  with  the 
idols  of  Egypt,  conciliating  the  political 
favor  of  the  Egyptians  by  conforming 
to  their  religion.  The  ^  pi-efixed  in 
D7'n:J53ri ,  Manrer  takes  to  be  the  1^ 
partitive ;  but  I  agree  with  Havernick, 
that  it  is  to  be  regarded  as  marking  the 
agents  by  whom  the  actions  were  per- 
formed, niyy  is  here  used  in  Kal  in 
the  same  sense  as  it  was  in  Picl,  ver. 
3  and  8. 

22,  23.  Jehovah  here  threatens  to  ex- 
cite against  the  Jews  the  Babylonians 
of  whom  they  had  formerly  been  enam- 
ored, but  who  were  now  become  the 
objects  of  their  disgust.     The  instru- 


Chap.  XXIII.  23-27.] 


E  Z  E  K I E  L . 


129 


23  against  thee  i-ound  about.  The  sons  of  Babylon  and  all  the 
Chaldeans,  Pekod,  and  Shoa,  and  Koa,  all  sons  of  Assyria, 
choice  young  men,  governors  and  commanders,  military  officers. 

24  and  celebrated  riders  on  horses,  all  of  them  :  They  shall  even 
come  against  thee,  strong  in  chariots  and  wagons  and  a  multi- 
tude of  peoples :  buckler  and  shield  and  helmet  they  shall  place 
against  thee  round  about ;  and  I  will  set  judgment  before  them, 

25  and  they  shall  judge  thee  with  their  judgments.  And  I  will  set 
my  jealousy  against  thee,  and  they  shall  deal  with  thee  in  fury ; 
they  shall  remove  thy  nose  and  thine  ears,  and  thy  remnant 
shall  fall  by  the  sword.  They  shall  take  away  thy  sons  and 
thy  daughters,  and   thy  remnant  shall  be  devoured  with  fire. 

26  And  they  shall  strip  thee  of  thy  garments,  and  take  away  thy 

27  splendid  jewels.  And  I  will  make  thy  wickedness  to  cease  from 
thee,  and  thy  lewdness  from  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  thou  shalt 
not  lift  up  thine  eyes  to  them,  and  thou  shalt  remember  Egypt 


ments  of  their  sin  were  now  to  be  made 
the  instruments  of  their  chastisement. 
The  force  of  the  Babylonian  empire  was 
to  be  brought  to  bear  upon  them  in 
punishment  of  their  sins.  From  the 
circumstance,  that  the  words  ?Vi1  "lipS 
Sip"! ,  Pekod,  and  Shoa,  and  Koa,  occnr 
in  immediate  connection  with  the  Baby- 
lonians, the  Chaldeans,  and  Ass3-rians, 
and  further,  that  TipS ,  Pekod,  is  used 
by  Jeremiah,  chap.  1.  21,  as  a  descriptive 
name  of  Babylon,  it  may  be  infeiTed  that 
all  three  are  to  be  so  interpreted  in  this 
place.  No  such  geographical  names  as 
Shoa  and  Koa  occur  cither  in  sacred  or 
profane  writers.  The  former,  however, 
signifying  icealth,  or  opulence,  and  the 
latter,  7Jn'?!ce/y,  noble,  are  aptly  descriptive 
of  the  state  of  Babylon  in  the  days  of 
her  prosperity,  as  TipS  >  Pekod,  is  of 
her  anticipated  punishment.  C'^X1"lp , 
called,  celebrated,  renowned  as  warriors, 
and  therefore,  aS  might  be  expected, 
well  fitted  to  execute  the  task  devolved 
upon  them. 

24.  ? ,  with,  is  understood  before  the 
words  'bj^?"!  33'^  "riH.  Of  the  first  of 
these  terms  the  signification  strong  is  that 
best  supported,  and  which  best  suits 
the  connection.     The  I^■^^5b^ ,  wheels  of 


oriental  wagons  being  unusually  high, 
and  consequently  very  conspicuous,  there 
was  a  propriety  in  introducing  them  here. 
Comp.  chap.  i.  16-20.  Not  only  should 
the  most  select  military  men,  armed  with 
all  the  necessary  implements  of  war, 
come  against  Jerusalem,  but  a  multitude 
of  people  should  accompany  them  to 
render  them  all  the  assistance  they 
might  require.  When  it  is  said  that 
the  Chaldeans  were  to  judge  the  Jews, 
^r!''^?"^^?  )  with  their  judgments,  it  is  im- 
plied that  from  such  a  barbarous  people 
they  had  nothing  to  expect  but  the  most 
severe  punishments,  as  it  follows  in  the 
next  verse. 

25,  26.  Punishment  by  cutting  off  the 
nose  and  ears  was  inflicted  for  adultery, 
not  only  among  the  Chaldeans,  but  also 
among  the  Egyptians,  Greeks,  and  Ro- 
mans. It  was  therefore  most  appi-o- 
priate,  to  represent  that  which  adulterous 
Judah  was  to  suffer  under  the  image  of 
such  ignominious  and  cruel  treatment. 
They  were  also  to  be  stripped  of  what 
lewd  females  set  most  value  upon  —  their 
rich  dresses  and  costly  jewels,  by  which 
they  attract  the  notice  of  their  paramours 
(chap.  xvi.  39). 

27.  TheefFectofthe  punishment  which 


130  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  XXIII.  27-36. 

28  no  more.  For  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Behold,  I  will 
deliver  thee  unto  the  hand  of  those  whom  thou  hatest,  unto  the 

29  hand  of  those  from  whom  thy  soul  is  alienated.  And  they  deal 
with  thee  hatefully,  and  take  away  thy  earnings,  and  leave  thee 
naked   and   bare,  so    that   the    shame    of  thy  lewdnesses   and 

30  wickedness  and  whoredoms  may  aj^pear.  I  Avill  do  these 
things  unto  thee,  because  thou  hast  gone  a  whoring  after  the 
nations,  because  thou  hast  defiled  thyself  with  their  abominations. 

31  Thou  walkedst  in  the  way  of  thy  sister,  and  1  have  given  her 

32  cup  into  thine  hand.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  :  Thou  shalt 
drink  of  the  cup  of  thy  sister,  deep  and  large ;  thou  shalt  be  an 

33  object  of  scorn  and  derision  ;  it  containeth  much.  Thou  shalt 
be  full  of  drunkenness  and  sorrow :    a  cup  of  desolation  and 

34  astonishment  is  the  cup  of  thy  sister  Samaria.  And  thou  shalt 
drink  it,  and  suck  it  to  the  dregs,  and  craunch  the  shreds  of  it, 
and  cut  off  thy  breasts ;  for  I  have  spoken  it,  saith  the  Lord 

35  Jehovah.  Wherefore  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Because 
thou  hast  forgotten  me  and  didst  cast  me  behind  thy  back,  thei'e- 
fore  thou  also  shalt  bear  thji-  wickedness  and  thine  adulteries. 

36  And  Jehovah  spake  unto  me.  Son  of  man,  wilt  thou  judge 
Aholah    and  Aholibah  ?    show  them,  then,  their  abominations. 

37  For  they  have  committed  adultery,  and  blood  is  in  their  hands ; 
yea,  they  have  committed  adultery  with  their  idols,  and  have 
even  caused  their  children  which  they  bore  unto  me  to  pass 

the  Chaldeans  woukl  inflict  should   he  had  been,  only  more   severely   in   pro- 

the  entire  cessation  of  idolatry  amon<j  portion    to   the  greater  guilt   she   had 

the  covenant  people.     They  should  no  contracted.     Verse  34   expresses   most 

more  think  of  applying  to  the  king  of  forcibly   the   desperation    to   which  the 

Egypt  for  help,  and  they  should  renounce  Jews  should  be  reduced,  when  compelled 

all  connection  with  idols.  to  undergo  the  extreme  infliction  of  their 

28.  See  verses  17,  18.  punishment.     By  a  bold  hyperbole,  not 

30.  niUS  is   the   historical  Infinitive,  satisfied  with  having  sucked  out  the  last 

standing  for  the  future.  drop  that  was  in  the  cup,  they  are  rep- 

31-35.  By  a  change  of  metaphor  the  resented  as  craunching  the  very  shreds 

judgments  to  be  inflicted   upon  Judah  of  it  with  their  teeth,  and  tearing  their 

are  represented  as  the  contents  of  a  cup  breasts,  which  they  had   prostituted  in 

which  she  was  to  drink.     This  metaphor       ,  ,  ^^,      .     ,  ^ 

.   .  ,     ,     .       ,        adultery.     C~J ,  Arab,    f**^  j   resecuit, 

is  of  n-equent  occurrence   both   m   the  .-         -r  \  ^ 

Old  and   New  Testaments.     See  espe-  ahstulit,  sustulit,  denotes  to  break  off,  cut 

cially  Ps.  Ixxv.  8  ;   Jer.  xxv.  15  ;   Rev.  or  gnaw  as  a  bone  with  the  teeth  (Num. 

xiv.  10 ;  xvi.  19 ;  xviii.  6.     The  force  of  xxiv.  8).     The  1  in  t?"] ,  ver.  35,  is  used 

the  metaphor  lies  in  the  idea  that  the  infcrentially  for  the  purpose  of  assigning 

ingredients  were  nauseous   and  delete-  the  cause  of  the  punishment  described. 

rious.    Judah  was  to  be  treated  as  Israel        36.  From  this  verse   to   the  44th  we 


Chap.  XXIH.  36-44.]  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  131 

38  through  the  fire  for  food  to  them.  Further,  this  they  did  to  me  ; 
they  polluted   my  sanctuary  on  that  day,  and   desecrated   my 

39  sabbaths.  And  when  they  slaughtered  their  children  to  their 
idols,  then  they  came  on  the  same  day  into  my  sanctuary  to 
profane  it :  and  behold,  they  did  this  in  the  midst  of  my  house. 

40  Yea,  they  sent  to  men  who  came  from  far,  to  whom  a  messenger 
had  been  sent ;  and  behold  they  came  ;  for  them  thou  didst 
bathe  thyself,  powder  thine  eyelids,  and  deck  thyself  with  orna- 

41  ments.  And  thou  didst  sit  on  a  magnificent  bed,  before  which 
a  table  was  prepared,  and  upon  it  thou  didst  place  my  incense 

42  and  my  oil.  And  there  was  the  noise  of  a  careless  multitude  in 
her,  and  to  men  of  the  common  sort  drunkards  were  brought 
from  the  desert,  and  they  put  bracelets  on  their  hands  and  a 

43  sjilendid  crown  upon  their  heads.     Then  I  said  respecting  the 

44  old  adultress,  Will  they  now  commit  lewdnesses  with  her,  and 
she  with  them  ?  They  went  in  unto  her,  as  they  go  in  unto  a 
whorish  woman :  thus  they  went  in  unto  Aholah,  and  to  Aholi- 

45  bah,  the  profligate  women.  And  righteous  men  shall  judge  them 
with  the  judgment  of  adultresses,  and  the  judgment  of  those  who 
shed  blood ;  for  they  are  adultresses,  and  blood  is  in  their  hands. 

have  a  brief  anacephalosis,  or  summing  She  left  nothing  untried  by  which  this 

up  of  the  wickedness  of  the  two  sisters,  might  be  effected. 

special  prominence  being  given  to  that  41.  In  aggravation  of  her  guilt  she  is 

of  Jerusalem.  charged  with  impiously  devoting  to  their 

37.  Here  first  ?)>??  >  the  verb  signifying  gratification  the  offerings  which  belonged 
to  commit  adultery,  occurs  in  the  chap-  to  Jehovah. 

ter.  42.  Instead  of  receiving  the  warnings 

38,  39.  So  callous  and  daring  were  given  them  by  the  prophets,  and  hum- 
the  Jews  in  their  idolatry,  that  on  the  bling  themselves  on  account  of  their 
very  day  on  which  they  had  burned  their  idolatries,  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem 
children  to  Moloch  in  the  valley  of  indulged  in  rioting  and  drunkenness  — 
Gehenna,  they  hypocritically  presented  bringing  even  the  vulgar  Arabs  from  the 
themselves  as  worshippers  in  the  temple  desert  to  keep  them  company.  D'^N^'iO , 
of  Jehovah.     Comp.  Jcr.  vii.  9,  10.  dninlards,   and   not  D'^^^O   which  the 

40.  Comp.ver.  16.    Fl^HB ,  a  an-a|  Aey.     Keri   exhibits,   would   .seem   to   be   the 

I        ^  preferable   reading,   since  the  Sabfeans 

Arab.  JlSVj  ,  illevitcollyrio,  pec.  stibio     .    -n,,  •     ■     ,        \  ,     u 

^'^^     '  J      'i'  in  Ethiopia  do  not  appear  ever  to  have 

oculos  sites.  Ercytag  ;  to  spread  fine  been  confederate  with  the  Jews.  To 
paint  of  a  black  color  on  the  eyelids  mark  these  drunkards  with  disgrace,  the 
so  as  to  produce  a  black  margin,  and  feminine  pronominal  affixesareemployed 
thus  make  the  white  of  the  eye  look  in  ir]"'!"!  and  "|n"i'JN"n.  That  bracelets 
more  beautiful  and  seducing.  It  is  a  were  worn  by  males  as  well  as  females, 
custom  still  practised  by  Oriental  females,  sec  the  authorities  in  Rosenmiiller. 
See  Kitto,  Art.  Eye.  Jerusalem  is  rep-  43,  44.  Disgusting  as  was  her  char- 
resented  as  so  doing  to  entice  her  lovers,  acter  as   au  old   adultress,  Jerusalem 


132 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XXIV.  1-2. 


46 
47 


48 


49 


For  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  I  will  bring  up  a  company 
against  them,  and  deliver  them  to  oppression  and  spoil.  And  a 
multitude  shall  stone  them  with  stones,  and  cut  them  with  their 
swords ;  they  shall  slay  their  sons  and  their  daughters,  aud  burn 
up  their  houses  with  fire.  And  I  will  cause  profligacy  to  cease 
from  the  laud,  and  all  wives  shall  receive  instruction  and  shall 
not  do  according  to  your  profligacy.  And  they  shall  lay  your 
profligacy  upon  you,  and  the  sins  of  your  idols  ye  shall  bear,  and 
ye  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord  Jehovah. 


found  those  who  encouraged  her  in  her 
wickedness.  The  two  sisters  arc  again 
presented  together  to  view,  thoiigh  Aho- 
libah  is  specially  singled  out,  being  the 
more  guilty  of  the  two. 

45.  The  Clialdeans  are  here  called 
D^pi'n^J  d"it3X,  righteous  men,  not  be- 
cause they  were  so  in  comparison  of  the 
apostate  subjects  of  the  theocracy,  but 
because  in  punishing  them  they  were 
the  executioners  of  the  righteous  judg- 
ments of  God. 


46-49.  The  Chaldeans  should  effect 
a  complete  termination  of  idolatry  in 
the  land  of  Judea,  by  the  capture  and 
destruction  of  Jerusalem.  Though  the 
use  of  stones  in  battle  was  customary, 
yet  there  may,  in  ver.  47,  be  a  special 
reference  to  the  fact,  that  stoning  was  a 
punishment  inflicted  for  adultery  among 
the  Jews,  John  viii.  5.  ^T^D^i ,  ver.  48, 
is  construed  by  Gesenius  as  a  rare  in- 
stance of  a  Nithpael  Conjugation. 


CHAPTER   XXrV. 

Efeekiel  is  charged  to  announce  to  his  countryraen  on  the  Chebar,  that  the  investment  of 
Jerusalem  had  actually  commenced,  1,  2.  To  illustrate  this  fact,  he  was  to  propound 
the  allegory  of  a  caldron  which  he  was  to  set  ou  the  Are,  and,  having  put  water  into  it, 
to  boil  in  it  choice  pieces  of  meat,  3-5.  Then  follows  the  application  of  the  allegory  to 
Jerusalem,  showing  the  awful  and  irrevocable  character  of  her  doom,  6-14.  The  prophet 
is  next  apprised  of  the  sudden  death  cf  his  wife,  for  whom  he  is  commanded  not  to 
exhibit  any  signs  of  mourning,  15-18:  it  being  intimated  thereby  that  such  should  be 
the  deplorable  circumstances  of  the  Jews  in  Jerusalem,  when  deprived  of  the  objects 
most  dear  to  them.    In  this  respect  he  was  a  prophetic  sign  to  them,  19-27. 


1  Again,  in  the  ninth  year,  in  the  tenth  month,  on  the  tenth  of 

2  the  month,  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying :  Son  of 
man,  write  thee  the  name  of  the  day,  this  very  day ;  the  king 


1.  The  date,  as  usual,  is  taken  from 
the  commencement  of  Jehoiachin's  cap- 
tivity. 

2.  The  prophet  is  specially  charged 
to  write  down  the  particular  day  on 
which  he  delivered  his  message,  and  to 
announce  it  as  that  on  which  Nebuchad- 
nezzar had   commenced   his   attack  on 


Jerusalem.  As  he  was  at  the  time  at 
the  distance  of  more  than  three  hundred 
miles  from  that  city,  it  was  not  to  be 
supposed  that  the  intelligence  could  have 
reached  him  by  any  human  means. 
When,  therefore,  the  captives  afterwards 
received  the  information,  they  had,  on 
comparing  the  dates,  an  infallible  proof 


Chap.  XXIV.  2-12.] 


EZEKIEL. 


133 


10 


of  Babylon  lays  seige  against  Jerusalem  this  very  day.  And 
propound  a  parable  to  the  rebellious  house,  and  say  unto  them : 
Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Put  on  the  caldron ;  put  it  on, 
and  put  also  water  into  it :  Gather  the  pieces  thereof  into  it, 
every  good  piece,  the  thigh  and  the  shoulder ;  fill  it  with  the  best 
bones.  Take  the  choice  of  the  flock,  and  lay  also  the  pile  of 
bones  under  it,  make  it  boil  well ;  let  them  also  boil  the  bones 
thereof  in  the  midst  of  it.  Wherefore  thus  saith  the  Lord 
Jehovah :  Woe  to  the  bloody  city,  the  caldron  in  which  is  the 
rust  thereof,  and  from  which  its  rust  hath  not  removed ;  bring  it 
out  piece  by  piece ;  let  no  lot  be  cast  upon  it.  For  her  blood  is 
in  the  midst  of  her ;  she  laid  it  on  the  sunny  rock  ;  she  did  not 
pour  it  out  upon  the  ground,  to  cover  it  with  dust ;  That  it 
might  cause  fury  to  come  up,  to  take  vengeance,  I  have  laid  her 
blood  on  a  sunny  rock,  that  it  may  not  be  covered.  Wherefore 
thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Woe  to  the  bloody  city :  I  will 
enlarge  the  pile  :   Heap  on  the  wood,  kindle  the  fire,  make  ready 


of  the  divine  inspiration  of  the  prophet. 
For  2'r2  read  3^3  "^-^D  ,  to  lean  or 
lie  against  ani/thing,  to  bear  hard  upon  it, 
to  invest  a  city  with   an   army  ;    Syr. 

V 

■f ^  rr7  J   innixusfuit,  discubuit,  accubuit. 

3-5.  The  prophet  was  typically  to 
perform  the  actions  here  commanded. 
They  were  prophetical  transactions,  the 
import  of  which  is  presently  explained. 
il^nr?  ,  its  pieces,  do  not  mean  pieces  of 
the  caldron,  as  if  it  had  been  broken, 
but  of  the  meat  that  was  to  be  put  into 
it  to  be  boiled.  "  The  choice  of  the 
flock  "  mean  persons  most  distinguished 
for  rank,  office,  or  wealth  in  the  Jewish 
state.  'I'l'^,  and  n^*np ,  ver.  9,  signify 
the  round  pile  of  fuel,  from  "''1'^ ,  to  be 
round.  The  bones  that  had  been  stripped 
of  their  flesh  were  to  be  used  for  fuel : 
those  to  which  it  still  adhered  were  to 
be  thrown  into  the  pot,  that  it  might  be 
boiled. 

6.  Here  the  prophet  gives  the  ex- 
planation of  the  parable.  The  Jews, 
indeed,  could  be  at  little  loss  to  know 
what  was  intended  by  it.  They  had 
already  themselves  bandied  the  metaphor 
about  as  a  taunt,  boasting  that  they 
12 


should  dwell  securely  in  Jerusalem  (chap, 
xi.  3).  By  "^«i<?n  is  not  meant  scum 
such  as  that  which  gathers  on  the  surface 
of  the  contents  of  a  pot,  but  the  rust  or 
verdigris  contracted  by  copper.  LXX. 
16s.  The  moral  impurity  of  the  city 
is  intended.  Why  there  should  be  a 
IMappik  in  the  pronominal  affix  the 
second  time  the  word  is  used,  and  not 
the  first,  does  not  appear.  As  usual, 
the  Masoretes  only  tell  us  that  the  M  is 
raphe.  The  pieces  were  to  be  brought 
out  and  put  into  the  caldron  without 
discrimination.  No  lot  was  to  be  cast 
upon  them  for  the  purpose  of  sparing 
some  and  not  others,  as  was  sometimes 
the  case  when  persons  were  sentenced 
to  be  punished. 

7.  The  bloody  deeds  committed  in 
Jerusalem  were  so  flagrant,  that  no 
pains  were  taken  to  conceal  them. 

8.  In  just  retribution  Jehovah  declares 
that  he  would  expose  them  with  equal 
publicity,  that  the  blood  might  call  for 
vengeance.  H"^!!^  signifies  here  sunny, 
the  brightest  part  of  a  bare  rock  exposed 
to  the  rays  of  the  sun. 

9-12.  The  most  effectual  measures 
were  to  be  taken  for  the  destruction  of 


134  E  ZE  K I E  L .  [Chap.  XXIV.  12-17. 

11  the  flesh,  and  spice  it  well,  and  let  the  bones  be  burned.  And 
set  it  empty  upon  the  coals  thereof,  that  it  may  be  hot,  and  its 
copper  may  glow,  that  its  filthiuess  may  be  smelted  in  the  midst 

12  of  it,  and  its  rust  consumed.     Its  rust  is  wearinesses ;  and  its 

13  much  rust  goes  not  off  from  it ;  into  the  fire  its  rust !  Thine 
impurity  was  atrocious :  because  I  would  have  j^urified  thee,  but 
thou  wouldst  not  be  purified,  thou  shalt  no  more  be  purified  from 

14  thy  filthiness  till  I  have  caused  my  fury  to  rest  on  thee.  I 
Jehovah  have  spoken ;  it  cometh,  and  I  will  do  it ;  I  will  not 
desist,  neither  have  pity,  nor  take  compassion :  according  to 
thy  ways  and  thy  doings  shall  they  jxidge  thee,  saith  the  Lord 
Jehovah. 

15  And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying:  Son  of  man, 

16  behold,  I  will  take  away  from  thee  the  delight  of  thine  eyes 
with  a  stroke,  but  thou  shalt  not  lament,  nor  weep,  neither  shall 

17  thy  tears  run  down.  Grieve  in  silence  :  make  no  mourning  for 
the  dead ;  bind  thy  turban  about  thee,  and  put  thy  sandals  on 
thy  feet ;   thou    shalt  not  cover  the    lip,  nor  eat  the    bread  of 

18  men.  And  I  spake  to  the  people  in  the  morning ;  and  my  wife 
died  in  the  evening,  and  I  did  in  the  morning  as  I  had  been 

Jerusalem.  The  destruction  was  to  be  15-17.  With  a  view  to  affect  more 
complete.  After  the  inhabitants  had  deeply  the  minds  of  his  fellow-captives, 
been  destroyed,  the  city  itself  was  to  be  Ezekiel  has  announced  to  him  the  dis- 
burned  to  the  ground.  Sec  for  the  severance  of  the  tcnderest  of  all  earthly 
fulfilment,  Jer.  lii.  13;  Lam.  iv.  11.  ties  —  the  removal  of  her  on  whom  he 
nxipH  C"rNri ,  the  rust  is  ivearinesses,  i.e.  had  ever  been  accustomed  to  look  with 
it  is  so  ingrained,  that  much  labor  is  affection  and  delight.  This  removal  of 
required  in  removing  it,  and  all  bestowed  his  beloved  wife  was  to  be  effected  by 
in  vain.  The  ])rocess  Avas  no  longer  to  •^SSi'?  >  a  stroke,  i.e.  in  so  sudden  and 
be  carried  on,  but  justice  was  to  effect  striking  a  manner  as  to  show,  that  it 
its  purpose  at  once.  was  an  immediate  visitation  of  God. 
13,  14.  The  impurity  of  the  inhabi-  Distressing,  however,  as  this  event  would 
tants  of  Jerusalem  was  of  the  most  be,  the  prophet  is  commanded  to  exhibit 
atrocious  character.  '"TST ,  crime,  delibe-  no  tokens  of  grief  on  the  occasion, 
rate  wickedness,  is  a  term  employed  to  Instead  of  D'^H^  ^5?  >  the  construction 
denote  a  criminal  act  perpetrated  on  set  is  -'^X  C^r^  ,  giving  special  prominence 
purpose.  Root  C^T ,  to  thinJc,  devise,  to  "  the  dead "  which  is  expressed  in 
purpose,  mostly  used  in  a  bad  sense,  the  plural  with  ultimate  reference  to 
Jehovah  had  used  a  variety  of  means,  those  who  should  perish  during  the  siege 
both  physical  and  moral,  to  I'estore  them  of  Jerusalem,  though  irt: ,  /us  own  dead, 
to  purity,  but  they  had  produced  no  was  the  immediate  subject  of  discourse, 
effect.  It  remained  now  only  for  the  He  was  interdicted  the  use  of  such  signs 
Chaldeans  to  do  their  work.  The  de-  of  mourning  as  were  usually  manifested. 
cree  was  irrevocable,  and  the  execution  Though  the  High  Priest  was  inter- 
inevitable,  dieted  mourning  for  any  person  what- 


Chap.  XXIV.  17-23.] 


EZEKIEL. 


135 


19 
20 
21 


22 


23 


commanded.  And  the  people  said  unto  me :  "Wilt  thou  not  tell 
us  what  these  things  which  thou  doest  are  to  us  ?  And  I  said 
unto  them:  The  word  of  Jeliovah  came  unto  me,  saying:  Say 
unto  the  house  of  Israel,  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Behold, 
I  will  desecrate  my  sanctuary,  the  pride  of  your  strength,  the 
delight  of  your  eyes,  the  desire  of  your  soul ;  and  your  sons  and 
your  daughters  shall  fall  by  the  sword.  And  ye  shall  do  as  I 
have  done  ;  ye  shall  not  cover  the  lip,  neither  shall  ye  eat  the 
bread  of  men ;  But  your  turbans  shall  be  on  your  heads,  and 
your  sandals  on  your  feet ;  ye  shall  not  lament  nor  weep,  but  ye 
shall  pine  away  in    your  iniquities,  and  mourn,  a  man  to  his 


ever,  Lev.  xxi.  10,  the  ordinary  priests 
were  permitted  to  mourn  for  near  rela- 
tives, ibid.  vers.  2,  3.  Ezckiel,  therefore, 
thougli  of  jiriestly  descent,  would  have 
been  under  no  restriction  in  this  respect. 
He  was,  however,  on  the  presentoccasion, 
though  of  the  most  trying  nature,  to 
appear  as  usual,  not  laying  aside  his 
turban  and,  instead  of  it,  casting  ashes 
on  his  head,  nor  going  barefooted,  nor 
covering  the  upper  lip  together  with  its 
moustachio  (C3'9)  '  <^omp.  Lev.  xiii.  45. 
Neither  was  he  to  partake  of  the  food 
which  it  was  customary  for  friends  to 
bring  in  token  of  their  sympathy  with 
the  mourners.  This  in  the  original  is 
called  d"ilp2N  CHP ,  bread  of  men,  i.e. 
what  men  usually  furnish  on  such  oc- 
casions. Havernick  aptly  compares  for 
the  idiom,  ^"^^X  IJ'^n,  a  vian's  pen,  Isa. 
viii.  l,and  fxirpov  avOpdirov,  Rev.  xxi.  17, 
api6fj.hs  avQpdnrov,  Rev.  xiii.  18.  The 
etymology  of  C^-?^.  is  not  to  be  pressed, 
nor  the  woi'd  rendered,  with  Newcome, 
wretched  men. 

18.  The  event  soon  followed  the  com- 
munication to  the  people  of  the  sorrowful 
event  which  had  been  pre-announced  to 
the  prophet. 

19.  The  pepple  perceived  evidently 
that  the  strange  conduct  of  Ezekicl 
under  the  circumstances  of  the  case  was 
symbolical,  and  asked  to  be  informed, 
what  bearing  the  symbol  had  upon  their 
condition. 

21.  The  prophet  is  instructed  to  point 


them  to  the  sacred  temple  at  Jerusalem, 
as  the  antitype  of  his  wife.  It  had  been 
the  proud  object  of  their  confidence  ( Jer. 
vii.  10),  and  which  they  had  regarded 
with  feelings  of  delightful  admiration. 
For  the  phrase  0?-^?^  V"^? »  comp.  Lev. 
xxvi.  19.  In  l^'n-b  and  ^'Sn"?  is  a 
paronomasia.  They  had  profaned  that 
temple  with  their  idolatrous  worship, 
and  Jehovah  would  now  profane  it  by 
means  of  the  Chaldeans,  who  would 
pillage  and  burn  it  to  the  ground.  As 
Hitzig  observes,  many  parents  might, 
when  they  were  carried  away  from 
Jerusalem,  have  been  under  the  necessity 
of  leaving  their  children  of  tender  age 
behind  them.  These  the  Chaldeans 
should  mercilessly  put  to  the  sword. 

23.  It  is  predicted  at  the  close  of  this 
verse,  that  while,  like  the  prophet,  the 
Jews  should  not  mourn  on  account  of 
the  loss  of  their  temple  or  their  dearly 
beloved  relatives,  they  should  be  bi'ought 
to  bewail  their  personal  guilt,  which 
had  been  the  procuring  cause  of  it. 
Dnp";!!  is  expressive  of  inward  melting 
of  spirit,  the  effect  of  vexation  and  grief 
when  the  mind  cannot  sustain  its  in- 
firmities, but  gives  way  to  the  pressure 
of  calamity,  and  in  the  hopelessness  of 
despair,  gives  up  all  for  lost.  The  words 
•."inx-bx  d-iX  Ori'sns  are  strongly  ex- 
pressive of  the  sense  of  national  guilt 
which  the  Jewish  captives  should  feel 
they  had  contracted,  and  the  share  which 
they  individually  had  in  it.     Though 


136 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XXIV.  23-27. 


24 


25 


26 
27 


brother.  And  Ezekiel  shall  be  to  you  for  a  sign  ;  according  to 
all  that  he  does,  ye  shall  do :  and  when  it  comes  to  jiass,  ye  shall 
know  that  I  am  the  Lord  Jehovah.  And  thou,  son  of  man, 
shall  it  not  be  in  the  day  when  I  take  from  them  their  fortress, 
the  joy  of  their  glory,  the  delight  of  their  eyes,  the  desire  of 
their  soul,  their  sons  and  their  daughters  ?  In  that  day  shall  he 
who  has  escaped  come  to  thee  to  communicate  the  report.  In 
that  day  shall  thy  mouth  be  opened  to  him  that  has  escaped ; 
and  thou  shalt  speak,  and  no  longer  be  dumb ;  and  thou  shalt  be 
to  them  for  a  sign,  and  they  shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah. 


prevented,  by  the  circumstances  in  which 
they  were  placed  in  the  hind  of  their  con- 
querors, from  making  any  public  mani- 
festation of  their  sorrow,  they  would 
privately  (l^H'?  -  ^^"'^  '  ^^^  '"  another) 
give  expression  to  their  feelings  of  grief. 
Fairbairn  justly  reprobates  the  opinion 
of  Eichhorn,  Ewald,  and  Hitzig,  that 
a  state  of  feeling  the  very  reverse  of 
this  is  intended  by  the  language  of  the 
prophet. 

24.  It  is  not  an  unexampled  thing 
for  the  sacred  writers  to  introduce  their 
own  names  into  their  productions.  See 
Exod.  ii.  11  ;  Numb.  xii.  3  ;  Isa.  xx.  3  ; 
Dan.  viii.  27.  Ezekiel  was  rS112  ,  a  sign 
or  significant  typical  representation,  fore- 
shadowing what  was  to  take  place  in  the 
experience  of  his  countrymen.  PTN123  , 
in  its  coming  to  pass ;  when  the  thing 
signified   should  happen,   it   would   be 


an  indubitable  proof  that  Jehovah  had 
revealed  the  event  beforehand  to  his 
servant. 

25-27.  D'*3  ,  i7i  the  daij,  as  occurring 
in  verses  25  and  26,  refers  to  that  in 
which  the  temple  was  destroyed  and  the 
fugitive  had  made  his  escape  :  in  ver.  27 
it  refers  to  that  on  which  he  arrived  at 
the  Chebar  with  the  melancholy  news. 
From  the  occurrence  of  the  former  event 
until  the  latter  should  take  place,  the 
prophet  ceased  from  his  public  labors, 
meanwhile  leaving  his  predictions  to 
produce  their  natural  effect ;  but  then  he 
was  again  to  stand  forth,  and  pointedly 
to  appeal  to  the  issue  in  proof  of  his 
divine  commission.  AVe  may  easily 
conceive  of  the  impression  which  such 
an  appeal  was  calculated  to  make  on 
the  minds  of  the  Jews.  Compare  chap, 
xxxiii.  21,  22. 


Chap.  XXV.  3-5.] 


EZEKIEL. 


137 


CHAPTER    XXV. 


Chapters  xxr. -xxxii.  inclusive,  contain  prophecies  relating  to  foreign  nations. 

The  prophet  in  this  chapter  first  directs  his  denunciatory  discourse  against  tlio  Ammonites, 
1,2;  whose  destruction  ho  liad  anticipated,  chap  xxi.  25  and  32.  They  were  specially 
to  be  punished  on  account  of  their  malicious  exultation  at  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem 
and  the  captivity  of  the  Jews,  3-7.  IIo  then  proceeds  to  denounce  similar  jmnishment 
against  the  Moabites,  8-11,  the  Edomites,  12-14,  and  the  I'hilistines,  15-17.  These  proph- 
ecies were,  for  the  most  part,  fullilled  by  Nebuchadnezzar  five  years  after  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem.    See  Joseph.  Antiqq.  lib.  x.  cap.  9.  §  7. 

1  AxD  the  word  of  Jehovah  canie   unto  me,  saying:     Son  of  man, 

2  set  thy  face  towards  the  sons  of  Amraon,  and  prophesy  against 

3  them.  And  thou  shalt  say  to  the  sons  of  Amnion  :  Hear  ye  the 
word  of  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah : 
Because  thou  sayest,  Aha !  to  my  sanctuary,  for  it  is  desecrated, 
and  to  the  land  of  Israel,  for  it  is  desolate,  and  to  the  house  of 

4  Judah,  for  it  is  gone  into  captivity ;  Therefore,  behold,  I  will 
deliver  thee  to  the  sons  of  the  east  for  a  possession  ;  and  they 
shall  erect  their  villages  in  thee,  and  fix  in  thee  their  dwellings ; 

5  they  shall  eat  thy  fruit  and  they  shall  drink  thy  milk.  And  I 
will  make  Rabbah  a  habitation  of  camels,  and  the  children  of 
Ammon  a  resting-place  for  sheep,  and  ye  shall  know  that  I  am 


3.  "p'S^  '^53 ,  the  Ammonites  were  the 
descendants  of  Lot,  and  occupied  the 
territory  to  the  east  of  the  Jordan, 
beyond  that  pertaining  to  the  tribes  of 
Reuben  and  Gad.  It  was  bounded  on 
the  south  by  the  land  of  Moab,  from 
which  it  was  separated  by  the  river 
Arnon ;  and  on  the  north  by  the  river 
Jabbok,  which  separated  it  from  the 
country  of  the  Amorites.  They  formed 
one  of  the  most  powerful  of  the  minor 
neighboring  states,  and  were  frequently 
at  war  with  the  Hebrews.  They  were 
gross  idolaters,  and  had  for  their  national 
god  Moloch  or  Milcom.  On  the  fall  of 
Jerusalem,  to  which  as  auxiliaries  they 
contributed,  and  the  transportation  of 
the  inhabitants  of  Judea  to  Babylon, 
they  insolently  triumphed  over  them,  on 
which  account  the  present  threatening 
is  denounced  against  them.  The  Femi- 
nine suffix  in  T)"^  Y^  refers  to  the  country. 

4.  Solomon  Jarchi,  Grotius,  and  others 

12* 


suppose  that  by  C"]|7  "'IJa  ,  sons  of  the  east, 
here,  the  Chaldeans  are  meant ;  but  this 
is  contradicted  by  the  uniform  usage 
of  the  sacred  writers,  wiio  employ  this 
phrase  rsstrictively  to  designate  the  in- 
habitants of  Arabia  Deserta,  to  the  east 
of  the  territories  immediately  bordering 
on  the  Jordan  and  the  Dead  Sea.  On 
the  destruction  of  the  Jewish  state  by 
Nebuchadnezzar,  the  country  was  to 
be  taken  possession  of  by  the  nomadic 
tribes,  who  should  there  form  their  en- 
campments and  dwell  in  their  tents, 
leading  the  same  pastoral  life  to  which 
they  had  been  accustomed.  m"l'^li,  vil- 
lages, or  nomadic  encampments  surrounded 
by  mud-walls,  as  is  common  in  the  East. 
The  word  nowhere  signities  palacts. 
The  nomades  had  no  palaces. 

5.  1^3^  1  Rabbah,  literally  the  great, 
was  the  metropolis  of  the  Ammonites, 
elsewhere  called  Ti^?  r2"n ,  Rabbah  of 
Ammon,    and,    in   full,    "jia?  i|a  na^ , 


138 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XXV.  5-9. 


6  Jehovah,  For  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Because  thou  didst 
smite  with  the  hand,  and  stamp  with  the  foot  and  rejoice  with 

7  all  the  despite  of  thy  soul  against  the  land  of  Israel,  Therefore, 
behold  I  will  stretch  out  my  hand  against  thee,  and  give  thee 
for  a  spoil  to  the  nations,  and  I  will  cut  thee  off  from  the  peoples 
and  destroy  thee  from  the  lands ;  I  will  destroy  thee,  and  thou 
shalt  know  that  I  am  Jehovah. 

8  Thus   saith   the    Lord    Jehovah :    Because    Moab  and    Seir  say, 

9  Behold,  the  house  of  Judah  are  like  all  the  heathen !  There- 
fore, behold,  I  will  open  the  side  of  Moab  from  the  cities,  from 
his  cities,  from  the  exti'emity  thereof,  the    glory  of   the  laud, 


Rahhah  of  the  sons  of  Amman,  to  distin- 
guish it  from  <^3^ ,  a  city  of  that  name 
in  the  tribe  of  Judah.  When  afterwards 
restored  by  Ptolemy  Pliiladelphus,  it 
received  the  name  of  Philadelphia,  and 
formed  one  of  the  cities  of  the  Decapolis. 
By  a  slight   corruption  of  the   second 

syllable  it  is  called  ,.jUo|  ,  Amman,  at 

the  present  day,  as  it  was  in  that  of 
Abulfcda.  Tab.  Syr.  p.  91.  Its  ruins 
have  been  visited  by  the  modern  travel- 
lers, Scetzen,  Burckhardt,  and  Irby  and 
Mangles,  who  found  them  about  nine- 
teen English  miles  S.E.  by  E.  from  tlie 
town  of  Szalt,  and  situated  along  the 
banks  of  a  stream  called  Moiet  Amman, 
which  flows  into  the  Zerka  or  Jabbok, 
called  according  to  Seetzen,  Nahhi- 
Amman.  They  exhibit  remains  of  a 
palace,  a  mausoleum,  an  amphitheatre, 
a  temple,  a  church,  and  a  castle;  but 
not  a  single  inhabited  dwelling  is  to 
be  seen.  See  Scetzen  in  Zach's  Mo- 
natliche  Correspondenz,  xviii.  pp.  428, 
429. 

7.  This  desolate  state  of  Rabbah  must 
be  referi'cd  to  the  three  hundred  years 
which  intervened  between  the  destruction 
of  Jerusalem  and  the  time  of  Ptolemy 
Philadelphus,  after  which  it  became  cel- 
ebrated among  the  Greeks  and  Ponums, 
by  whom,  no  doubt,  the  splendid  build- 
ings, the  ruins  of  which  still  remain, 
were  erected.  53  occiu's  nowhere  be- 
sides in  Hebrew,  except  in  the  compound 
•*?^,?  >  where  it  seems  to  be  used  in  the 


sense  of  the  Pers.    sLs,   cihns,  — -Ljj 

vectigul.  Such  significations,  however, 
ill  suit  the  present  connection  ;  and 
there  cannot,  I  should  think,  be  a  doubt 
that  the  reading  is  a  corruption  of  T3 , 
spoil,  which  is  that  of  the  Keri,  of  a 
great  number  of  MSS.  in  the  text,  and 
is  supported  by  that  of  the  Complut. 
Bible  and  all  the  ancient  versions.  The 
letters  T  and  i  might  easily  be  exchanged 
for  one  another  by  a  copyist.  Compare 
ilj  for  fl.J ,  chap,  xlvii.  1.3. 

8.  Proceeding  in  a  southerly  direction, 
a  similar  threatening  is  denounced  against 
Moab  and  Seir.  These  countries  are 
here  classed  together,  most  probably  on 
account  of  their  close  proximity  to  and 
their  joint  hostility  against  the  Jews. 

9.  1''3fb ,  Seir,  was  properly  a  moun- 
tainous country,  called  by  Josephus 
and  others  who  wrote  in  Greek  Vd^aKa, 
Te^aK^vil,  Fo^aAa,  and  at  the  present 
day  the  Arabs  still  give  it  the  name  of 

jjLiv^ ,  Jclial.  See  Dr.  Rol)inson's 
Palestine,  vol.  ii.  p.  .552.  The  opening 
up  of  this  mountainous  region  from  the 
cities  of  Moab  expresses  the  clearing  of 
the  passes  by  which  the  enemy  might 
easily  enter  and  take  possession.  These 
were  otherwise  closed  and  fortified. 
The  names  of  the  cities  specified  are  in 
apposition  with  }^'^N  "^3^  i  ihe  fjlori/  of 
the  countrij,  so  that  this  is  to  be  taken  as 
descriptive  of  them,  and  not  of  "^^i^  »  the 
frontier  or  extremity  of  Moab.     They 


Chap.  XXV.  10-14.J 


EZEKIEL. 


139 


10  Beth-yeshimoth,  Baal-meon,  and  Kiriathaim.  I  will  give  her 
for  a  possession  to  the  sons  of  the  east,  against  the  sons  of 
Ammon,  that  the  sons  of  Ammon  may  not  be  remembered  among 

11  the  nations.  And  I  will  execnte  judgments  in  Moab,  and  they 
shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah. 

12  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah:  Because  Edom  acted  revengefully 

towards  the  house  of  Judah,  and  contracted  guilt  by  avenging 

13  himself  upon  them,  Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  I 
will  also  stretch  forth  my  hand  against  Edom,  and  cut  oiF 
from  it  man  and  beast,  and  will  make  it  desolate  from  Teman, 

14  and  they  of  Dedan  shall  fall  by  the  sword.  And  I  will  inflict 
my  vengeance  upon  Edom  by  the  hand  of  my  people  Israel,  and 
they  shall  execute  upon  Edom  according  to  mine  anger,  and 
according  to  my  fury,  and  they  shall  know  my  vengeance,  saith 
the  Lord  Jehovah. 

15  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  :  Because  the  Philistines  have  acted 

revengefully,  and  have  revenged  themselves  with  despite  of  soul 


are  most  probably  so  called  because 
of  their  having  been  stronf,^ly  fortifii'd. 
From  the  significance  of  the  name  r"*? 
r'i^^uJ^tj  ,  Beth-haijesliimoth ,  the  house  of 
desolations,  the  first  would  appear  to 
have  sustained  a  siege  at  some  previous 
period  of  its  liistor^^  but  from  the  effects 
of  which  it  had  afterwards  recovered. 
It  was  situated  on  the  eastern  shore  of 
the  Dead  Sea.  "l""?  ^?3 ,  Baal-Meon, 
in  full  ")i"'2  ^:^"a  r^il,  Bdh-Dnal-Mion 
(Josh.  xiii.  17),  and  simply  1^"'?  ^""S  > 
Btth-Meon  (Jer.  xlviii.  23),  lay  farther 
inland,  to  the  east  of  Mount  Ncbo,  and 
appears  from  the  name  to  have  been 
celebrated  on  account  of  the  worship  of 
Baal.  D"ri"";.p3 ,  Kiriathaim,  the  doable 
city,   is    supposed  by  Burckhardt  to  be 

the  present   a-uS    (J|  ,  El-Teyim,  half- 

an-hour's  journey  to  the  southwest  of 
Medeba.  It  was  most  probably  on  ac- 
count of  the  strength  of  these  cities  that 
Moab  cherished  the  pride  so  emphatically 
ascribed  to  her  (Isa.  xvi.  6  ;  Jer.  xlviii. 
29;  Zeph.  ii.  8-10). 

12-14.  Though  Seir,  which  strictly  is 
the  northern  part  of  Idumca,  is  coupled 
with  IMoab,  ver.  8,  yet  considering  the 


enmity  which  the  Edomites  had  uni- 
formly manifested  against  the  Hebrews, 
it  was  proper  that  they  should  specially 
share  in  the  judgments  to  be  executed 
upon  the  foes  of  the  covenant  people. 
The  country  of  C11S ,  Edom,  properly 
so  called,  stretches  from  the  southeast 
corner  of  the  Dead  Sea  to  Elath  or 
Akabah  on  the  Elanitic  Gulf  of  the 
l\cd  Sea.  The  two  cities  or  districts, 
'I'^'^n ,  Teman,  and  "I'^f  •,  Dedan,  being 
placed  in  antithesis,  embrace  the  whole 
length  of  the  country  from  north  to 
soutii.  They  are  placed  in  the  same 
order  (Jer.  xlix.  7,  8).  The  former  is 
placed  by  Jerome  in  his  Onomasticon 
at  the  distance  of  five  miles  from  Petra, 
but  where  the  latter  lay  is  xmcertain. 
It  is  scarcely  to  bo  supposed  that  the 
trading  city  of  this  name  in  the  bosom  of 
the  Persian  Gulf  can  be  meant.  "What- 
ever the  Idumeans  may  have  suffered 
from  the  passage  of  Chaldean  troops 
through  the  country,  it  was  reserved 
for  the  Jews  themselves  to  execute  the 
divine  vengeance  upon  them.  This  was 
specially  done  at  an  after  period  by 
Judas  Maccabeus,  and  they  were  finally 
conquered   and   incorporated  with   the 


140  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  XXVI.  1. 

IG  to  destroy  in  the  old  enmity,  Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord 
Jehovah:  Behold,  I  will  stretch  forth  my  hand  against  the 
Philistines,  and  cut  off  the  Crethites,  and  I  will  destroy  the 

17  remnant  on  the  sea-coast.  And  I  will  execute  upon  them  great 
aveugings  in  punishments  of  fury ;  and  they  shall  know  that  I 
am  Jehovah,  when  I  inflict  my  vengeance  upon  them. 

Jewish  state   by  John  Hyrcanus.     See  erence  to  d3l3  nn"'X  ,  the  ancient  hatred. 

on  Isa.  xxxi\\  5.  Mark  the   paronomasia   in  Tl'^rln  and 

15-17.  Having  taken  its  course  through  D'^r'^S.      The  Philistines   were    called 

the  countries  to  the  east  and  south  of  Cherethim,  or  Cretans  (LXX.  tovs  Kpfj- 

the    Dead   Sea,    the    threatening    now  raj),  because  they  came  originally  from 

crosses  over  along  the   south  of  Judea  the   island   of    Crete,   elsewhere   called 

to  the  country  of  the  Philistines,  situated  ^PIS?  j   Caphtor.     The  army  of  Ncbu- 

along  the  coast  of  the  Mediterranean,  chadnezzar  overran  and  destroyed   the 

The  inhabitants  of  this   region,   being  cities   on   the   sea-coast   on  his  way  to 

the  near  neigiibors  of  the  Jews,  had  been  Egypt,  after  the  siege  of  Tyre.     See  on 

their  indomitable  enemies  from  the  time  Jer.  xlvii. 
they  entered  Canaan.     Hence   the  rcf- 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

This  and  the  two  following  chapters  are  directed  against  the  rhoenicians,  whose  country- 
lay  next  in  order  along  the  coast,  to  the  north  of  Phillstia.  It  consisted  of  a  small  slip 
of  country,  not  exceeding  twelve  miles  in  width,  but  extending  about  one  hundred  in 
length  from  north  to  south,  between  Jlount  Lebanon  and  the  sea.  Its  iuliabitanls 
were  the  celebrated  merchants  and  able  navigators  of  antiquity,  and  resided  in  numer- 
ous cities  with  which  the  country  was  studdec^  the  cliief  of  wliicli  were  Tyre  and  Sidon ; 
and  against  tliese  especially  the  prophecies  before  us  are  prouovuiced. 

In  the  present  chapter  Tyre  is  introduced  exulting  at  the  downfall  of  Jerusalem,  and  con- 
gratulating herself  on  the  accession  to  her  commerce  which  she  anticipated  would  re- 
sult from  that  event,  1,  2.  Hereupon,  Jehovah  declares  in  general  terms  that  he  wou!d 
effect  her  destruction,  and  that  of  the  lesser  cities  dependent  upon  her,  S-6.  Then 
follows  a  more  special  prediction,  descriptive  of  Kebuchadnezzar  as  the  instrument 
divinely  appointed  to  falfil  the  purjiose  of  the  Most  High ;  the  formidable  military  array 
which  that  monarch  should  employ  in  the  attack;  his  total  annihilation  of  that  cele- 
brated city,  and  the  capture  of  all  her  commercial  treasures.  7-14.  The  effect  produced 
by  the  intelligence  of  her  fall  on  the  merchant-princes  of  the  islands  and  coasts  of  the 
Mediterranean  is  next  most  graphically  set  forth,  and  a  funereal  dirge  is  introduced 
which,  in  the  posture  and  attire  of  mourners,  they  are  supposed  to  chant,  15-18;  and 
the  prophecy  winds  up  with  a  declaration  on  the  part  of  Jehovah,  that  the  desolate 
condition  to  which  Tyre  should  be  reduced  would  be  complete  and  jjerpetual,  19-21. 

1  And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  eleventh  year,  on  the  first  of  the  month 

2  that  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying :  Son  of  man. 
Because  Tyre  saith  concerning  Jerusalem,  Aha !  the  gates  of 
the  people  are  broken,  it  is  turned  unto  me,  I  shall  be  filled,  she 

1.  Contrary  to  his  usual  practice,  the    month.     Some   interpreters   suppose  it 
prophet  omits  to  specify  the  date  of  the    was   the  fourth,   others   the  fifth,  etc., 


Chap.  XXVI.  2.] 
3 


EZEKIEL. 


141 


is  laid  waste.  Tlierefore  tlius  saith  the  Loi'd  Jeliovali :  Behold, 
I  am  against  thee,  O  Tyre !  and  I  will  cause  many  nations  to 
come  up  against  thee,  as  the  sea  causeth  its  waves  to  come  up. 


but  nothing  beyond  conjecture  has  been 
advanced,  nor  is  it  a  matter  of  much 
importance. 

2.  "11^ ,  a  form  differing  little  from 
■^^^  ,  wliich  si;inifies  a  Rock ;  on  Plia'ni- 
cian  monuments  "i^  without  tlie  Van, 
as  also  on  Tyrian  coins  "i^^  ,  DM  ^S5 
Dl^S  ;  Arab.  jj-O  j  Greek  Tvpos.     This 

city  was  the  most  opulent  and  powerful 
emporium  in  the  ancient  world,  carrying 
on  her  commerce  not  only  in  fleets  down 
the  Mediterranean  as  far  as  the  western 
coasts  of  Spain  and  Britain  and  round 
into  the  Baltic,  mooring  them  in  every 
accessible  port ;  but  likewise  in  large 
caravans  into  Central  and  Eastern  Asia. 
She  was  of  high  :mti(iuity.  According 
to  Justin  (Urbem  ante  annum  Troianae 
cladis  condiderunt)  it  must  have  been 
founded  B.C.  1 155.  Yet  it  was  originally 
only  a  colony  of  Zidon,  which  boasted 
a  still  higher  antiquity.  See  on  chap, 
xxviii.  21. 

Properly  speaking  there  was  a  double 
Tyre  —  that  proper,  on  the  continent, 
called  Palajtyrus,  ?;  iraKai  Tvpos,  supposed 
to  have  been  "niS  "i^?^  "l"^?  >  the  fortress- 
city  of  Tyre,  mentioned  Josh.  xix.  29 ; 
2  Sam.  xxiv.  7 ;  and  the  insular  Tyre, 
built  upon  a  rock  in  the  sea,  at  the 
distance,  according  to  Pliny,  of  seven 
hundred  paces  from  the  shore,  which 
in  all  probability  served  as  an  out])ort 
or  station  for  warehouses  wherein  were 
deposited  the  principal  articles  of  Phoe- 
nician traffic.  According  to  Strabo,  old 
Tyre  lay  thirty  stadia  south  of  the  insular 
city,  near  the   present   ..waju!   i>«lj? 

Ras-elain,  or  '  fountain-head,'  which  sup- 
])lied  the  aqueducts  with  water.  Mera 
Se  T^j/  Tvpov  7)  XlaKaiTvpos  iv  TpiaKovra 
ffradiois.  Lib.  xvi.  cap.  2.  It  was  ob- 
viously this  city  that  the  army  of  Neb- 
uchadnezzar first  attacked,  for  it  is  said, 
ver.  11,  that  with  the  hoofs  of  his  horses 


he  should  tread  down  all  her  streets.     It 
has   been   maintained   indeed    by  some 
that  the  two  parts  of  the  city  were  con- 
nected by  an  artificial  isthmus  ;  but  such 
an  idea,  suggested  no  doubt  by  the  fact 
that  Alexander  afterwards   constructed 
a  passage  from   the  one   to   the  other, 
would   ill   accord   with   what  we   may 
conceive  to  have   been  the   sagacity  of 
the    Tyrian    merchants,    who,    for    the 
security  of  their  goods,  would  leave  the 
island  approachable  only  by  water.     See 
this  subject  ably  discussed  byVitringaon 
Isa.  xxiii.  and  Prideaux's  Connections. 
The   siege  lasted   thirteen   years,   and, 
though  we  have  no   positive  testimony 
from  profane   authors  to   prove  that  it 
was   successful,    yet   there   remains   no 
ground  for  reasonable  doubt  on  the  sub- 
ject.    When  it  is  said,  chap.  xxix.  18, 
that  the  king  of  Babylon  and  his  army 
had  no  wages  for  the  service  they  had 
performed,  the  meaning  is,  they  had  no 
adequate  remuneration  for  the  hardships 
and   losses   which   they  had   sustained, 
and  the  immense  expense  to  which  he 
had  been  put  on  the  occasion.     That  no 
mention  is  made  by  the  profane  authors 
of  Greece  and  Rome  of  the  successfid 
result  of  the  siege  is  rather  an  argument 
in  its  favor  than  the  contrary-;  for  we 
can  hardly  suppose  it  possible  for  them 
not  to  have  adverted  to  so  i-emarkable  a 
circumstance  as  that   the  mighty  king 
of  Babylon  should  have  been  baffled  in 
his  attempt,  if  such  had  actually  been 
the  fact.     Nor  must  it  be  forgotten  that 
Jerome  expressly  declares   that  he  had 
read  in  Assyrian  histories  of  the  success- 
ful conquest  of  the  city  by  Nebuchad- 
nezzar.    See  Havernick's  Commentary, 
pp.   427-442,  in   which   the   objections 
of  Gcsenius,  Von  Heeren,   Dahlmann, 
Hitzig,  and  other  modern  writers  are  sat- 
isfactorily refuted,  and  compare  Hengs- 
tenberg,  De  Rebus  Tyriorum,  p.  31  and 


142 


EZEKIEL, 


[Chap.  XXVI.  2-5. 


And  they  shall  destroy  the  walls  of  Tyre,  and  raze  her  towers, 
and  I  will  sweep  away  her  dust  from  her,  and  I  will  make  her 
a  dry  rock.  She  shall  be  a  place  for  spreading  nets  in  the  midst 
of  the  sea :  surely  I  have  spoken  it,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah ; 
and  she  shall  become  a  spoil  for  the  nations.  And  her  daugh- 
ters Avhich  are  in  the  field  shall  be  slain  with  the  sword ;  and 


following.  HSn  ,  heach,  aha  !  an  inter- 
jection strongly  expressive  of  exultation 
over  a  fallen  enemy.  See  Ps.  xxxv.  21, 
25.  As  an  exception  to  the  general 
grammatical  rule,  and  an  instance  of 
coiistr actio  ad  sdisiim,  rT]i2C3  the  jircdi- 
cate  in  the  singular  agrees  with  T'ir^'l 
the  subject  in  the  plural.  "^205  should 
be  pointed  5^205.  The  nominative  to 
this  verb  is  not  Jerusalem,  understood, 
as  our  translators  have  taken  it,  bat 
what  is  most  easily  supplied  by  the  con- 
nection, and  that  on  whicli  the  minds 
of  the  Tyrians  were  most  set,  their 
merchandize,  or  mercantile  gain.  Tlie 
rendering,  therefore,  should  be  "  it,"  and 
not  she,  "  is  turned  unto  me."  ^'i^?'^ 
C^yri ,  the  doors  or  gates  of  the  peoples. 
Jerusalem  was  so  called  not  only  on 
account  of  her  having  been  the  great 
place  of  concourse  to  the  Hebrews  when 
they  went  up  to  the  sacred  feasts,  but 
because  it  lay  in  the  routes  which  the 
caravans  with  merchandize  took  that 
proceeded  to  Tyre  from  Petra,  Ezion- 
geber.  Palmyra,  and  other  places  in  the 
East,  and  consequently  must  have  inter- 
cepted many  of  the  articles  of  traffic 
before  they  reached  their  destination. 
On  this  account  she  must  have  been  an 
object  of  great  jealousy  to  the  Tyrians, 
who  now  exult  at  the  removal  of  this 
monopoly,  and  congratulate  themselves 
on  the  commercial  advantages  which 
they  would  derive  from  her  fall. 

3,  4.  In  striking  contrast  with  the 
self-congratulatory  language  of  Tyre, 
Jehovah  here  announces  her  destruction. 
The  comparison  of  crowds  of  people 
to  the  tumultuous  waves  of  the  sea  is 
common  in  Scripture.  It  is  peculiarly 
appropriate  here,  in  consideration  of 
the  maritime  position  of  Tyre.     As  the 


Mediterranean  dashed  against  her  shores 
with  resistless  fary,  so  should  the  troops 
of  the  king  of  Babylon,  collected  from 
the  many  different  nations  subject  to  his 
swaj',  attack  and  destroy  her  strongholds. 
?  prefixed  to  l"^?"  is  the  sign  of  the 
accusative,  according  to  Aramaic  usage, 
as  'l!^;'?^.?  '  (J"--  xl.  2).  That  Tyre 
was  strongly  fortified  is  borne  out  by 
the  testimony  of  Dius,  as  quoted  by 
Joscphus,  Antiqq.  viii.  .5,  who  says  that 
Hiram  king  of  Tyre  iireiS)]  eiipa  to,  T<jiii> 
'lepoaoKvjxwv  TiixVt  Ttvpyoiv  irpos  aacpa- 
Xeiav  Seo/j-eya  ical  rrjS  aWrjs  oxupdrTjTos, 
trphs  yap  rh  a^ico^a  Tijs  Tr6\60is  ■IjyelTO 
Serj/  Kal  Tohs  irepi^oKovs  eJfui,  toCtk  re 
TTpoaeTreaKsva^e  koI  irvpyois  avTo,  fjnyaKois 
■Kpoire^ripev.  Comp.  Isa.  xxiii.  4,  11,  13. 
Hitzig  indeed  contends  that  the  language 
of  Dius  only  applies  to  Jerusalem,  but 
it  appears  obvious  to  me  that  the  passage 
concludes  with  a  statement  of  what 
Hiram  did  to  his  own  city  in  imitation 
of  what  he  had  witnessed  at  the  capital 
of  Judea.  'inri'C:  and  "Tl^np  form  a 
paronomasia.  i^"S>",  her  Just.  The 
destruction  here  referred  to  was  that  of 
the  towers,  walls,  and  other  edifices, 
destroyed  by  the  besiegers.  Not  a  ves- 
tige was  to  remain.  In  place  of  splendid 
edifices  and  impregnable  bulwarks  noth- 
ing was  to  be  seen  but  bare  rocks,  fit  only 
for  fishermen  to  spread  their  nets  on. 

5.  D^fl  ~ir^3 ,  in  the  midst  of  the  sea, 
may,  without  straining,  be  applied  to 
Continental  Tyre,  though  the  greater 
part  of  the  city  lay  not  within  the  sea- 
mark,   but    back   in   the  plain   in   the 

direction  of  the  rocky  hill,  ^V  «  \'>  » ' ' , 

El-Mashuk,  Avhich  probably  formed  its 
"^^r^? )  castle  or  fortress.  See  Robinson, 
iii.  390, 


Chap.  XXVI.  6-9.1 


EZEKIEL. 


143 


9 
10 


they  shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah.  For  thus  saith  the  Lord 
Jehovah :  Behold,  I  will  bring  against  Tyre  Nebuchadnezzar 
the  king  of  Babylon,  from  the  north,  a  king  of  kings,  with 
horses  and  chariot,  and  with  horsemen,  and  an  assembly  of  much 
people.  Thy  daughters  in  the  field  he  shall  slay  with  the  sword  ; 
and  he  shall  construct  a  circumvallation  around  thee,  and  pour 
out  a  mound  against  thee,  and  raise  the  buckler  against  thee. 
The  stroke  of  his  battering-ram  he  will  direct  against  thy  walls ; 
and  thy  towers  he  will  cut  down  with  his  hatchets.  The  multi- 
tude of  his  horses  shall  cover  thee  with  their  dust ;  by  the  noise 
of  horsemen,  and  wheels,  and  chariots,  thy  walls  shall  shake, 
when  he  entereth  into  thy  gates,  as  into  the  entrances  of  a  city 


daughters  which  icere  in  the  open  coitntri/, 
i.e.  the  towns  and  villages  dependent 
upon  her,  and  lying  back  from  and  along 
the  coast.  These  were  to  be  involved 
in  the  same  catastrophe  with  the  mother- 
city;   their  fate  was  bound  np  in  hers. 

7.  "pS^^  1  from  the  Nortli,  the  qnartcr 
from  which  the  Chaldeans  originally 
came  from  their  native  monntains,  and 
that  which  is  always  specified  when  their 
entering  Palestine  is  referred  to,  be- 
cause they  took  the  route  by  Riblah  and 
Hamath  on  the  Orontes  in  preference  to 
that  across  the  desert  to  the  southwest  of 
Babylon.  Nebuchadnezzar  is  dignified 
with  the  title  C'^?^"?  ~r^'  king  of 
KINGS,  Chaldean  '<'?r''?  Ti-P  >  Arabic 
^^%-AJal  ^iXXjQ  7  because  he  had  con- 
quered many  kingdoms,  and  had  under 
him  a  number  of  royal  personages  gov- 
erning, as  satraps  and  viceroys,  the 
different  countries  that  were  subject  to 
his  sway.  Thus  the  Turks  have  their 
jJ.aJ2  jLw   ^jLLsAaa/  5  Suitani  sulatin  ; 

the  Persians  their  sLCwiAjviOLcu,  Sha- 
hin-shah,  and  the  Ethiopians  their 
"^aUU  "il^^,  of  the  same 
import.  See  for  more,  Gesen.  Thesaur. 
p.  794.  P.'^'^  >  the  tower,  which,  as  cm- 
ployed  in  a  siege,  was  moveable,  and 
pushed  forward  against  the  city.  These 
were  stored  with  instruments  ,of  attack, 


and  contained  a  considerable  number 
of  men.  "^^pOj  the  cvjger  or  mound 
of  earth  raised  before  a  besieged  city. 
T(3'^  is  appropriately  used  to  express 
the  formation  of  it  from  the  emptying 
or  pouring  out  of  the  earth  conveyed  in 
baskets.  r!|  j£  ,  the  buckler,  here  obviously 
denotes  the  testado,  or  vaulted  roof  of 
large  united  shields  employed  by  an 
attacking  enemy  for  protection  in  siege- 
operations. 

9.  By  P3p  '^n'j  is  meant  the  battering- 
ram,  which  was  employed  in  making 
breaches  in  the  walls ;  and  which,  in 
the  absence  of  artillery,  must  have  proved 
a  very  effective  instrument  of  attack. 
Winer  renders  the  words,  percussio  oppo- 
sitionis,  i.e.  the  hostile  stroke  or  blow 
given  by  the  instrument,  "'np  is  de- 
rived from  '^n'?  '  '"  strike,  or  smite,  32? 
from    ^5p  ,  to  be  over  against,  opposite  to. 

Compare  the  Arab.    — X&   J^Ai  j  in  the 

hostile  sense  of  irruit  in  aliqnem,  aggressus 
est  rem  ;  Chal.  ■'nif'SS  ,  tormenta  be/lica. 
Among  other  warlike  instruments  de- 
scribed as  employed  in  the  destruction 
ofTyrem-^n  are  specified.  As  swords, 
which  is  the  common  acceptation  of  the 
term,  however,  appropriate  when  a  battle 
is  spoken  of,  is  unsuitable  when  applied 
as  here  to  the  cutting  down  of  towers, 
it  is  now  generally  allowed  that  it  is 
used  with  the  signification  of  axes  or 
hatchets.     The   assertion  of  Havernick, 


144 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XXVI.  9-14. 


11 


12 


13 
14 


15 


broken  in  upon.  With  the  hoofs  of  his  horses  he  shall  tread 
down  all  thy  streets ;  he  shall  slay  thy  people  with  the  sword ; 
the  monuments  of  thy  strength  shall  come  down  to  the  ground. 
And  they  shall  spoil  thy  riches,  and  plunder  thy  merchandise, 
and  raze  thy  walls,  and  break  down  thy  pleasure-houses,  and 
shall  place  thy  stones  and  thy  wood  and  thy  dust  in  the  midst 
of  the  waters.  And  I  will  cause  the  noise  of  thy  songs  to  cease, 
and  the  sound  of  thy  lyres  shall  no  more  be  heard.  And  I  will 
make  thee  a  dry  rock ;  tliou  shalt  be  a  place  for  the  spreading 
of  nets ;  thou  shalt  never  be  built  any  more :  for  I  Jehovah 
have  spoken,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah.  Thus  saith  the  Lord 
Jehovah  concerning  Tyre  :  Shall  not  the  islands  shake  at  the 
sound  of  thy  fall  when  the  wounded  groan,  when  the  slaughter 


that  3"1H  never  signifies  anything  else 
than  sword,  is  indefensible ;  for  it  also 
signifies  a  hufc  (Josh.  v.  2,  3)  ;  a  razor, 
(Ezek.  V.  1)  ;  and  is  to  be  translated 
according  as  the  exigency  of  the  passage 
may  i-equire. 

10,  II,  A  graphic  description  of  the 
tremendous  character  of  the  siege.  The 
dust,  raised  by  the  horses,  filling  the  air, 
the  noise  made  by  their  prancing,  the 
rattling  of  the  chariots,  the  quaking  of 
the  walls,  the  shrieks  of  the  wounded, 
the  fall  of  the  idolatrous  objects  of  con- 
fidence—  all  must  have  combined  to 
inspire  the  inhabitants  with  terror  and 
dismay.  Tj.^?  m2ST3  ,  Vulg.  statucc  tuce 
nobiles,  obelisks  or  statues,  erected  in 
honor  of  their  idol-gods.  Comp.  rn2SS"5 
T;j?3d~n'^2  ,  the  obelisks  of  the  temple  oftlie 
sun,  Jer.  xliii.  13.  When  the  idols  of 
the  heathen  are  taken  or  destroyed  in 
war,  the  courage  of  their  votaries  totally 
fails.  The  great  god  of  the  Phoenicians 
was  Melccarte,  whose  fabulous  history 
in  the  main  agrees  with  that  of  the 
Grecian  Hercules.  He  claimed  as  his 
birth-place  Thebes,  a  Phoenician  colony  ; 
and  had  his  temple  in  Palaityrus,  to 
which  Alexander  was  referred  by  the 
Insular  Tyrians,  when  he  wished  to 
sacrifice  to  him  :  Esse  templum  Herculis 
extra  urbem,  in  eam  sedem  quam  Pala;- 
tyron  ipsi  vocant :  ibi  regem  Deo  sacrum 
rite  facturum. — Q.  Curtius,  iv.  2.  (4.) 


TjiTS?  ni2S^  in  the  plural  agrees  with 
"I"]?]  in  the  singular,  on  the  principle, 
that  the  former  is  taken  distributively. 

12.  That  the  riches  here  specified  must 
have  been  those  found  in  Palcetyrus 
and  not  those  stored  up  on  the  island, 
would  appear  from  what  is  stated,  chap, 
xxix.,  that  "  neither  he  nor  his  army 
had  wages  from  Tyre  for  the  service 
which  he  had  served  against  it."  See 
on  that  passage.  The  throwing  of  the 
ruins  of  Tyre  into  the  midst  of  the  sea, 
will  apply  to  the  continental  city,  and  is 
descriptive  of  its  consignment  to  utter 
destruction. 

13.  In  strikingcontrast  with  the  former 
joyousness  of  the  merchant-city,  a  death- 
like silence  was  to  ensue.  The  prophet 
in  this  and  the  following  verse  reaches 
the  climax  of  his  description,  concluding 
with  an  almost  verbal  repetition  of  verses 
4  and  5. 

14.  Tiy  tVi^r^^  xb,  thou  shalt  he  built 
710  more.  This  was  literally  fulfilled  with 
respect  to  the  continental  city.  That 
part  which  lay  on  the  island  recovered 
itself  after  the  lapse  of  seventy  years, 
as  predicted  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  chap, 
xxiii.  17, 18,  and  was  in  a  very  flourish- 
ing condition  in  the  time  of  Alexander, 
by  whom  a  causeway  was  constructed 
between  the  shore  and  it,  by  means  of 
which  he  reached  the  city,  and  took  it 
by  storm  after  a  siege  of  seven  months. 


Chap.  XXVI.  15-20.] 


EZEKIEL. 


145 


16  slayeth  in  the  midst  of  thee?  And  all  the  princes  of  the  sea 
shall  descend  from  their  thrones,  and  lay  aside  their  mantles,  and 
put  off  their  embroidered  garments  ;  they  shall  be  clothed  with 
trembling ;    they   shall  sit  on   the  ground,  and    tremble  every 

17  moment,  and  be  confounded  on  account  of  thee.  And  they  shall 
take  up  a  lamentation  for  thee,  and  shall  say  to  thee :  How  art 
thou  destroyed,  that  didst  dwell  by  the  seas,  the  celebrated  city 
which  was  strong  at  sea,  she  and  her  inhabitants,  who  inspired 

18  all  its  inhabitants  with  their  terror.  Now  shall  the  islands 
tremble  in  the  day  of  thy  fall ;  the  islands  which  are  in  the  sea 

19  shall  be  troubled  at  thy  departure.  For  thus  saith  the  Lord 
Jehovah :  When  I  make  thee  a  desolate  city,  as  the  cities  which 
are  not  inhabited,  by  bringing  up  the  deep  upon  thee,  and  the 

20  mighty  waters  shall  cover  thee ;  Then  I  will  bring  thee  down 
with  those  who  go  down  to  the  pit,  to  the  ancient  people,  and 
will  make  thee  dwell  in  the  land  of  the  lowest  regions,  in  the 
desolations  which  have  been  of  old,  with  those  who  go  down  to 
the  pit,  that  thou  mayest  not  be  inhabited ;  but  I  will  set  glory 


15-18.  The  effects  of  the  siege  of  Tyre 
were  not  to  be  confined  to  her  inhabitants, 
but  were  to  extend  to  her  colonics.  Of 
these  she  had  many  along  the  coasts 
and  on  the  islands  of  the  Mediterranean, 
in  Greece,  Italy,  and  Spain,  of  which 
the  principal  were  Utica,  Carthage,  and 
Tartessus.  Like  her  they  were  rich  and 
powerful,  and  for  a  time  were  dependent 
upon  her  as  the  mother  city.  These 
maritime  colonies  are  represented  as 
struck  with  consternation  on  hearing 
what  had  befallen  her  ;  their  chief  mag- 
istrates, here  called  Q^f^  ''!!?^^'?  >  princes 
of  the  sea,  are  said  to  have  come  down 
from  their  thrones ;  and,  exchanging 
their  princely  robes  for  those  of  mourn- 
ing, to  have  sat  down  on  the  ground, 
trembling  with  amazement.  Comp.  Isa. 
xxiii.  8,  9.  To  express  the  greatness  of 
their  distress,  they  are  said  to  have 
"  clothed  themselves  with  trembling  " ; 
Heb.  niT^n  ,  iremblinfjs,  i.e.  great  trem- 
bling. For  C:*X,  ver.  18,  the  Chaldee 
for  0*^*5^  1  islands  or  sea-coasts,  which 
reading  is  found  in  several  MSS.,  the 
Vulg.  has  naves,  as  if  the  original  were 
ni'SX ,  ships.  Some  would  make  a  dis- 
13 


tinction  between  the  two  forms  as  here 
used,  supposing  that  by  "j^X ,  islands 
properly  so  called  are  meant,  and  by  D^5< , 
maritime  coasts;  but  the  distinction  is 
altogether  imaginary.  The  same  locali- 
ties are  intended  in  both  members  of  the 
parallelism.  The  feature  of  the  descrip- 
tion D^3  '^1?!'^ '  strong  in  the  sea,  must 
be  referred  to  the  insular  part  of  the  city, 
which  had,  been  strongly  fortified  as  the 
port  for  the  protection  of  the  warehouses 
and  the  shipping.  The  concluding  clause 
of  ver.  17  is  descriptive  of  the  despotic 
rule  which  the  merchant-princes  of  Tyre 
exercised  over  the  inhabitants,  whether 
regular  citizens  or  those  who  were  there 
temporarily  on  business.  f^*^? »  the 
departure  of  Tyre,  signifies  her  disap- 
pearance as  a  celebrated  emporium. 

19.  The  "deep,"  and  the  "great  (or 
many)  waters,"  metaphors  borrowed  from 
the  relative  position  of  Tyre,  figura- 
tively describe  the  army  of  the  king  of 
Babylon. 

20.  The  disappearance  of  Tyre  is 
compared  to  that  of  the  dead,  who, 
placed  in  their  sepulchre,  are  no  more 
seen  among  the  living.     While  this  was 


146 


EZEKIEL, 


[Chap.  XXVII.  2,  3. 


21  in  the  land  of  the  living ;  I  will  fill  thee  with  terrors,  and  thou 
shalt  not  be  ;  and  thou  shalt  be  sought  for,  but  shalt  not  be  found 
any  more  for  ever,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah. 


to  be  the  fate  of  that  renowned  city, 
Jehovah  promises  to  set  "'^^j  glory  in 
the  land  of  the  living.  .  This  Grotius 
and  others  refer  to  the  restoration  of  the 
Jewish  polity,  which,  considering  the 
frequent  application  of  this  term  to  the 
land  of  Judea,  may  seem  a  not  unnatural 
interpretation,  and,  if  meant  to  include 
the  Messiah  and  his  spiritual  kingdom, 
for  whose  introduction  that  restoration 
was  designed  to  be  preparatory,  may 
readily  be  admitted.  Comp.  Isa.  iv.  2  : 
"  And  the  Branch  of  Jehovah  shall  be 
''SSb."  Thus  interpreted,  the  passage 
may  be  considered  as  Messianic.  Nor 
is  it  an  unusual  thing  with  the  Hebrew 
prophets  thus  abruptly  to  introduce  a 
reference  to   the  Redeemer.     I   cannot 


admit  the  propriety  of  supplying  NP 
before  "^Pf^J  j  or  carrying  forward  the 
force  of  that  negative  as  Havernick,  after 
the  LXX.  and  Syr.,  has  done,  and  so 
rendering,  "I  will  not  set  glory  in  the 
land  of  the  living,"  i.e.  I  will  not  restore 
thee  to  thy  former  splendor.  The  con- 
struction thus  brought  out  is  tame  and 
unnatural. 

21.  The  desolation  of  Tyre  was  to  be 
so  complete  that  it  should  be  an  object 
of  terror  to  all  who  approached  the  spot 
where  it  had  stood.  Not  a  vestige  of  it 
was  to  remain :  a  pi'ophccy  which  was 
literally  fulfilled,  for  though  insular  Tvre 
afterwards  rose  into  notice,  the  ancient 
continental  city  never  recovered  from 
her  ruin. 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 


The  prophet  proceeds  in  this  chapter  to  give  a  detailed  specification  of  the  splendor,  riches, 
and  commerce  of  Tyre  in  the  days  of  her  prosperity,  1-11 ;  the  principal  nations  witli 
which  she  traded,  and  the  articles  of  merchandise  which  they  respectively  furnished, 
12-25;  thence  to  the  end  we  have  a  beautiful  allegorical  description  of  her  downfall. 

1  And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying;    And  thou,  son 

2  of  man,  take  up  a  lamentation  concerning  Tyre  :    and  say  to 

3  Tyre  :  O  thou  that  dwellest  beside  the  entrances  of  the  sea, 
thou  trader  of  the  peoples  to  many  sea-coasts,  thus  saith  the 
Lord  Jehovah ;  O  Tyre !  thou  sayest,  I  am  perfect  in  beauty. 


2.  The  prophet  is  commanded  to  com- 
mence «^3''P  >  a  funereal  dirge  over  Tyre, 
consisting,  agreeably  to  the  nature  of 
such  ditties,  of  an  eulogium  in  praise  of 
her  splendid  qualities. 

3.  Instead  of  "^nad'll  the  Keri  omits 
the  Yod,  and  exhibits  the  regular  form 

of  the  participle  na'^^n.    ci^  pisiari , 

entrances  of  the  sea.     The  plural   may 
have  been  adopted  with  reference  to  the 


double  port  of  Tyre,  at  which  vessels 
entered  round  the  northern  and  southern 
ends  of  the  island.  These  ports  or 
harbors  are  thus  described  by  Strabo, 
(lib.  xvi.  cap.  2)  :  Svo  5'  ex^t  Xi/xfvas, 
tJ);/  iui€v  KKiurrhv,  rhv  5'  aveififvoy,  hv 
Pilyvirriov  KaKovffiv.  t3"'33J*fl  TPDI ,  the 
emporium  of  the  peoples,  LXX.  to?  (fjLiropia> 
Twv  \awf,  i.e.  the  great  emporium  to 
which  the  merchants  of  various  nations 


Chap.  XXVII.  3-8.] 


E  Z  E  K I E  L  . 


147 


4  In  the  midst  of  the  seas  were  thy  borders ;  those  who  built  thee 

5  perfected  thy  beauty.     With  cyi^resses  from  Senir  they  built  for 
thee  all  thy  boards  ;  they  took  cedar  from  Lebanon  to  make 

6  masts  for  thee.     Of  oaks  of  Bashan  they  made  thine  oars.    Thy 
deck  they  made   of  ivory  inlaid  in   cedars,  from   the  isles  of 

7  Chittim.     Thy  sails  were  of  fine  cotton  with  embroidered  work 
from  Egypt.     Purple  and  blue  from  the  coasts  of  Elishah  were 

8  thy  awning.     The  inhabitants  of   Zidon  and  Arvad  were  thy 
rowers  ;  thy  wise  men,  O  Tyre,  were  in  the  midst  of  thee  ;  they 


resorted,  and  where  they  bartered  or 
bought  and  sold  their  wares.  To  it 
were  brought,  in  heavily  laden  caravans, 
the  rich  productions  of  India  and  other 
countries  of  the  East,  which  passed 
through  it  on  their  way  to  Europe. 
Tyre  was  likewise  celebrated  for  the 
commerce  which  she  carried  on  with 
foreign  parts  by  means  of  her  fleets  and 
colonies.  As  affluence  and  magnificence 
naturally  engender  pride,  she  is  here 
represented  as  boasting  of  her  splendor. 

4.  Nothing  could  more  admirably  or 
more  apjjropriately  have  set  forth  the 
magnificence  of  this  maritime  city  than 
the  figure  of  a  gallant  shij)  constructed 
with  the  best  materials,  and  manned 
with  the  most  skilful  mariners  of  the 
age.  This  exquisitely  beautiful  figure 
here  introduced  is  broken  in  upon  at 
verse  9,  where  the  prophet  resumes  his 
description  of  the  emporium,  and  pro- 
ceeds with  great  minuteness  to  specify 
the  principal  articles  in  which  she  traded, 
and  the  difiiarent  countries  with  which 
her  commerce  was  carried  on.  It  is, 
however,  very  fitly  again  taken  up,  ver. 
26,  when  the  prophet  would  describe 
the  Avreck  to  which  the  city  should  be 
reduced.  For  T^^}^  j  l/ii/  builders,  some 
few  of  De  Rossi's  MSS.  read  rp.?^  ,  % 
sons,  which  reading  the  LXX.  have 
adopted :  viol  aov :  but  the  former,  which 
has  the  suffrages  of  the  Chaldean  and 
Jerome,  better  suits  the  connection. 

5-8.  ■i'^?^5 )  Senir,  a  name  given  by 
the  Amorites  to  Hcrmon  or  the  high 
southern  point  of  Anti-Libanus,  Deut. 
iii.  9.    Like  the  rest  of  those  mountain- 


ranges  it  abounded  with  a  variety  of 
choice  and  stately  trees.  B'^.t^Hb  ,  boards, 
decks,  which  appear  to  have  been  con- 
structed double.  Tabulataduplicia:  Sic 
vocat  propheta  naves  quod  duo  habeant 
latera  aut  duas  extremitates,  puppim  et 
pro  ram.  (Munster.)  Bashan  was  cele- 
brated for  its  oaks,  as  Lebanon  was  for 
its  cedars.  Of  the  words  D"'n'^ii<-n3  it 
is  impossible  to  make  any  tolerable  sense. 
I  therefore  pi'cfer  joining  them  together 
as  one  word.  We  thus  read  D'^T.'JXriia 
in  one  of  De  Rossi's  MSS.,  whicli  is 
approved  of  by  Solomon  Jarchi,  Boehart, 
and  Celsius.  In  this  case  Cinit'XPl  will 
simply  be  the  plural  of  "i^^'Nri ,  a  species 

of  cedar  called  by  the  Arabs,  ^^yj^yjjf 

Sherhin ;  ivory  inlaid  in  cedars,  would 
thus  be  descriptive  of  the  costly  materials 
of  which  the  ^""^p  j  deck,  was  composed. 
That  liJ^S'?  designates  the  sail,  seems 
most  naturally  suggested  by  the  etymol- 
ogy—  l^jS  J  the  root,  signifying  to  s/jrearf 
out,  expand.  The  Egyptians  went  to 
great  expense  in  decorating  the  sails  of 
their  vessels  with  all  kinds  of  embroidery. 
Witness  the  splendid  barge  of  Cleopatra, 
in  which  she  went  to  meet  Anthony. 
ti533'2  denotes  the  coverinfj  or  awning. 
nO"'bs  ,  Elishah,  is  so  called,  according 
to  Gesenius,  from  Elis,  a  district  of  the 
Peloponnesus,  and  so  put  for  the  whole 
of  Greece.  Michaelis  prefers  Hellas,  with 
a  like  extended  signification.  V^''^  > 
Zidon,  see  on  chap,  xxviii.  20.  "'^'l^?  > 
Arvad,  a  small  island  near  the  coast 
of  Phcenicia,  now  called  Riiad.  It  oc- 
cupied a  very  high  rocky  situation,  and 


148 


E  Z  E  K I E  L . 


[Chap.  XXVII.  8-12. 


10 


11 


12 


were  thy  mariners.  The  elders  of  Gebal  and  her  wise  men 
were  in  thee  thy  caulkers ;  all  ships  of  the  sea  and  their  sailors 
were  in  thee  to  exchange  thy  barter.  Persia  and  Lud  and 
Put  were  in  thy  force,  thy  men  of  war ;  the  shield  and  helmet 
they  hung  up  in  thee.  They  furnished  thy  splendor.  The 
sons  of  Arvad  and  thy  force  were  upon  thy  walls  around,  and 
the  Gammadim  were  in  thy  towers.  They  hung  up  their 
shields  upon  thy  walls  around  ;  they  perfected  thy  beauty.  Tar- 
shish  was  thy  trader  because  of  the  abundance  of  all  wealth ; 
in  silver,  in  iron,  in  tin,  and  lead  they  supplied  thy  markets. 


was  about  two  hundred  paces  from 
the  continent.  Its  inhabitants  are  still 
noted  for  their  seafaring  habits.  Upoff- 
fOeffav  5e  T17  fVTvx'i<}  Tainrt,  koI  Tvp6voiav, 
KoL  (piKoiroviav  irphs  t}]u  OaKaTTOvpyiav. 
(Strabo.)  In  our  prophet  they  are 
classed  with  those  of  Zidon  as  furnishing 
mariners  to  Tyre. 

9.  bsa ,  Gehal,  the  nameof  al^icsnician 
city  situated  on  a  rising  ground  near 
the  sea,  between  Beirut  and  Tripolis, 
and  inhabited  by  ship-builders,  who, 
according  to  Strabo,  were  originally 
fugitives  from  Zidon.  It  was  called 
Byblos  by  the  Greeks,  who  celebrated  it 
as  the  birthplace  of  Adonis.  "^iT'^iri'D 
^)?ia ,  literally  :  the  repairers  of  thy 
breaches,  which  our  translators,  suppos- 
ing the  repairing  of  ships  to  be  meant, 
have  rendered,  thy  caulkers,  and  their 
translation  seems  perfectly  justifiable 
from  the  connection.  The  word  is  else- 
where used  of  the  breaches  or  chinks  in 
a  building  (2  Kings  xii.  6).  ^I'^i  to 
mix,  intermix,  as  in  trade :  hence  21?5 
'T^a'iy'S ,  lit.  to  mix  thy  mixing,  to  carry 
on  trade  with  thee;  to  exchange  com- 
modities. 

10.  013,  Persia,  i.e.  the  Persians: 
I^P  ,  Lud,  the  Lydians  of  Mauritania  m 
Africa,  a  people  expert  as  archers  ;  and 
l:*Q  ,  Put,  the  Putians,  a  people  whose 
land  was  conterminous  with  that  of  Libya 
in  the  same  direction  west  of  Egypt. 
Warriors  from  the  distant  east,  and 
likewise  from  the  distant  west,  are  rep- 
resented as  forming  the  military  prowess 
of  Tyi-e.     The  former  might  have  been 


engaged  by  Tyrian  colonists  on  the 
Persian  Gulf  where  they  had  settlements ; 
and  the  latter  at  Carthage  and  other  sea- 
ports in  Africa,  to  which  the  Phcenicians 
resorted.  See  my  Commentary  on  Jer. 
xlvi.  9  ;  Nail.  iii.  9.  Ancient  warriors 
were  in  the  habit  of  hanging  their  ac- 
coutrements on  the  walls,  not  only  for 
the  sake  of  convenience,  but  also  for 
display  as  ornaments. 

1 1 .  The  Tyrians  employed  the  inhabi- 
tants of  Arvad  both  in  their  naval  service 
(ver.  8),  and  in  the  defence  of  their  city, 
which  was  surrounded  by  walls  and 
ramparts.  Who  the  C^IH?  ?  Gammadim 
were,  who  were  employed  for  the  same 
purpose,  it  is  dithcult  to  determine. 
Various  conjectures,  both  ethnographical 
and  philological,  have  been  advanced; 
but  most  of  them  are  unsatisfoctory ; 
especially  that  of  Michaelis,  who,  after 
the  Rabbins,  supposing  the  word  to  be 
allied  to  "'P.i',  Gomed,  which  signifies  a 
cubit,  imagined  that  it  denoted  men, 
who  from  their  elevated  position  on  the 
towers  appeared  like  dwarfs  to  the  people 
below.  I  should  rather  be  disposed  to 
consider  the  term  as  allied  to  the  Arabic 

{_V  n'*^  J  duro  animo  ac  immiti  fait,  war- 
riors of  a  fierce,  intrepid,  and  cruel 
chai-acter,  not  improbably  from  Chaldea, 
who  were  hired  by  the  Tyrians  to  serve 
in  their  army.     Comp.  Hab.  i.  6. 

12-25.  The  prophet  now  enters  upon 
an  enumeration  of  the  different  nations 
that  traded  with  Tyre,  beginning  and 
ending  with  TlJ'^O'nr) ,  Tarshisli,Ta.xtGS?,\xs, 


Chap.  XXVII.  13-15.] 


EZEKIEL. 


149 


13  Javan,  Tubal,  and  Meshech,  they  were  thy  traders  in  persons 
of  men,  and  implements  of  copper  they  supplied  in  thy  market. 

14  From  the  house  of  Togarmah,  horses  and  horsemen  and  mules 

15  they  supplied  in  thy  market.  The  sons  of  Dedan  were  thy 
traders :  many  coasts  were  the  merchandise  of  thy  hand ;  horns 

16  of  ivory  and  ebony  they  returned  as  thy  present.  Edom  was 
thy  trader  for  the  multitude  of  thy  works ;  with  carbuncle,  pur- 
ple, and  embroidery,  and   cotton,    and  corals,  and  ruby,  they 


the  celebrated  Phoenician  emporium  in 
the  west  of  Spain.  From  the  extreme 
west,  he  returns  by  the  countries  border- 
ing on  Asia  Minor  to  the  regions  on  the 
Persian  Gulf  in  the  distant  east,  and 
thence  back  through  Palestine  to  Tyre. 

12.  Spain  has  long  been  celebrated 
for  the  exuberant  riches  of  the  mineral 
kingdom.  It  is  to  be  noticed,  howevei", 
as  a  fact,  that  while  she  abounded  in 
most  of  the  metals,  especially  in  silver, 
gold  mines  appear  to  have  been  only 
partially  wrought,  and  they  have  long 
ceased  to  attract  notice.  Mines  of  iron 
and  lead  abounded,  as  they  still  do,  in 
that  country;  but  '"^^^t  sfa7vuun,  tiu, 
was  a  foreign  article,  conveyed  from  the 
tin-mines  in  Cornwall  to  Tartessus  by 
the  Phoenicians,  and  thence  to  Tyre  and 
other  parts  of  the  east. 

13.  'ij^ ,  Javan,  a  general  term  com- 
prehending the  whole  of  Greece,  with 
which  Tyre  had  much  maritime  inter- 
course. That  there  should  here  be  ref- 
erence to  a  place  of  that  name  in  Arabia 
Felix,  which  Gesenius  thinks  probable, 
is  not  borne  out  by  the  position  of  the 
name  in  Ezekiel,  who  first  introduces 
Arabia  at  ver.  21.  ^'■^'O']  b?!in ,  Tubal 
and  Meshech,  occur  in  the  same  connec- 
tion with  "ij!^  ,  Javan,  in  the  ethnograph- 
ical table  Gen.  x.  2,  and  again  offer 
themselves  to  our  view,  chaps,  xxxii.  2G  ; 
xxxviii.  2, 3  ;  xxxix.  1,  which  see.  They 
are  now  almost  universally  allowed  to 
designate  peoples  known  to  Greek  writers 
under  the  names  of  Moschi  and  Tibareni, 
who  inhabited  the  mountainous  regions 
between  the  Black  and  Caspian  seas. 
They  were,  according  to  our  prophet, 

13* 


addicted  to  the  slave-trade  ;  and  it  is 
worthy  of  remark,  that  till  very  lately 
the  Turkish  harems  have  been  supplied 
with  slaves  imported  from  Circassia  and 
Georgia,  the  females  of  which  are  cele- 
brated for  their  beauty.  By  "^53  are 
meant  not  merely  vessels  for  containing 
articles,  but  instruments  of  all  kinds, 
among  others,  weapons  of  war,  arms, 
etc.  These  are  still  manufactured  in 
abundance,  and  of  excellent  quality,  by 
the  inhabitants  of  Derbend  and  other 
parts  of  the  Caucasus.  Their  swords 
are  celebrated  as  ecjual,  if  not  superior, 
to  those  of  Damascus. 

14.  n^'^ain ,  Togarmah,  the  northern 
Armenians,  who  call  themselves  the 
house  of  Torgom,  and  claim  Torgom  or 
Togarmah,  the  son  of  Gomer,  as  their 
founder.  Compare  Gen.  x.  3  ;  1  Chron, 
i.  6.  They  inhabit  the  rough  moun- 
tainous regions  on  the  south  side  of  the 
Caucasus.  The  country  was  celebrated 
for  its  breed  of  horses,  which  were  in 
great  request  with  the  Persian  kings  : 
OvToi  S*  i(n\v  liriro^iros  ffcpSSpa  ?;  X'^P'*> 
Strabo,  lib.  xi.  Q'^'>^'^S  ,  steeds,  horses 
used  for  riding,  as  distinguished  from 
C^OID ,  chariot-horses. 

15.  "(^'7  ,  Dedan,  an  island  or  commer- 
cial town  in  the  Persian  Gulf,  established 
by  the  Tyrians  to  secure  the  trade  ot 
India.  ")0 ,  tooth,  that  of  the  elephant, 
i.e.  ivory,  with  which  India  abounded. 
The  tusks  resembling  horns  will  account 
for  the  term  f^lS'ii^ ,  horns,  being  here 
employed.  That  by  CrSt^  we  are  to 
understand  ebony  scarcely  admits  of  a 
doubt.  The  name  is  retained  in  the 
Greek   efifyos    and   the    Latin  ebenum. 


150 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XXVU.  15-20. 


17  furnished  thy  markets.  As  for  Judah  and  the  land  of  Israel, 
they  were  thy  traders ;  with  wheat  of   Minnith  and    Pannag, 

18  and  honey  and  oil  and  balsam,  they  furnished  thy  mart.  Da- 
mascus was  thy  trader  in  the  multitude  of  thy  works,  because 
of  the  multitude  of  all  wealth,  in  wine  of  Helbon  and  white 

19  wool.  Vedan  and  Javau,  from  Uzal,  furnished  in  thy  mar- 
kets   polished   steel,    cassia,  and   calamus :    they    were    in  thy 

20  market.     Dedan  was  thy  trader  in  tapestry  for  riding.     Arabia 


Gesenius  thinks  the  reason  why  it 
occurs  in  the  plural  is,  that  it  was 
obtained  only  in  planks  split  into  pieces 
for  transportation.  Its  great  hardness 
made  it  an  article  of  value. 

16.  From  the  circumstances  that  vSyria 
may  be  viewed  as  included  under  Da- 
mascus in  verse  18,  and  that  no  mention 
is  made  in  the  enumeration  of  Idumca, 
whose  capital  Petra  formed  a  centre  of 
traffic  in  ancient  times,  I  am  inclined  to 
adopt  the  reading  cnx  ,  Edom,  which  is 
found  in  fifteen  codices,  has  been  in 
eleven  more  originally,  and  is  confirmed 
by  the  reading  D'lX  of  the  LXX.,  the 
Hexaplar-Syriac  and  Arabic  versions. 
The  gems  here  specified  are  rather  to 
be  referred  to  the  Indian  Ocean,  than 
to  any  places  in  connection  \vith  Syria. 
^^arTO  a  "lb  here,  and  ver.  18,  is  not 
to  be  understood  of  articles  made  or 
manufactured  in  Tyre,  but  of  articles 
conveyed  thither  for  traffic.  LXX.  'Awb 
TrKi\6ovs  rov  avfx^iKTOv  aov.  Ti^S  the 
LXX.,  in  other  places,  render  "AvQpai, ; 
but  here  omit  it.  It  was  one  of  the 
precious  stones  in  the  breastplate  of 
the  Jewish  high-priest,  but  of  what  kind 
cannot  absolutely  be  determined,  though 
it  is  generally  supposed  to  have  been 
the  emerald,  "l-"^?  ,  the  ruhij.  riiTDS"! , 
though  here  reckoned  among  gems,  was 
in  all  probability,  as  asserted  by  the 
Rabbins,  the  red  coral,  from  its  red, 
shining  appearance. 

17.  n'^i^  ,  Minnith,  is  mentioned  as  a 
city  of  the  Ammonites,  Judges  xi.  33. 
Of  53S ,  Pannag,  nothing  is  known,  but 
from  the  connection  we  should  suppose 
it  to  be  the  name  of  a  jjlaee. 


18.  "jisbr] ,  Helbon,  Aleppo,  the  wines 
of  which  were  held  in  such  high  estima- 
tion that  the  Persian  monarchs  would 
drink  no  other.  Thv  XaKv^diviov,  Strabo, 
lib.  XV. 

19.  Besides  the  fact  that  no  other 
word  in  the  enumeration  of  places  in 
this  chapter  commences  with  the  copu- 
lative 1 ,  the  name  of  Dan  would  seem 
to  be  so  entirely  out  of  place  here,  that 
there  is  certainly  room  for  the  conjecture 
that  the  Van  in  ")'^'l ,  Vedan,  is  not  to  be 
read  as  a  conjunction,  but  forms  an 
integral  part  of  the  word.  Whether  it 
may  still  be  traced  in  Aden,  a  place 
famous  for  trade  near  the  straits  of 
Babelmandeb,  may  be  queried.  That 
?T^X ,  Uzal,  probably  so  called  from  a 
descendant  of  Joktan  (Gen.  x.  27),  was 
the  original  name  of  Sanaa,  the  ancient 
metropolis  of  Arabia  Felix,  was  ascer- 
tained by  Niebuhr  when  he  visited  that 
country.  It  was  famous  for  its  sword 
blades,  to  which  no  doubt,  as  made  from 
the  'TI.S  1  iron  or  steel  here  mentioned, 
reference  is  had.  It  is  probable  that 
the  Javan  here  mentioned  along  with  it, 
and  described  as  having  its  origin  from 
it,  was  founded  by  Greek  colonists  who 
had  settled  there.  Instead  of  ^T^IX^ 
thirteen  codices  read  i'J'IS*^  with  a  dif- 
ferent pointing  of  the  preposition.  tT^l?  » 
cassia,  an  aromatic  shrub  resembling 
cinnamon,  but  less  fragrant  and  valuable. 
By  i^5|5  is  meant  calamus  aromaticus, 
sweet  cane  or  flag,  growing  in  marshy 
ground,  and  used  in  the  East  for  per- 
fumes. It  abounds  in  Arabia  and  Af- 
rica. 

20.  The  Dedan  here  mentioned  is  to 


Chap.  XXVII.  20-24.] 


EZEKIEL. 


151 


21 
22 


23 

24 


and  all  the  princes  of  Kedar,  they  were  thy  traders  in  lambs, 
and  rams,  and  he-goats ;  in  them  they  were  thy  traders.  The 
merchants  of  Sheba  and  Ramah,  they  were  thy  traders ;  with 
the  chief  of  all  spices  and  with  all  precious  stones  and  gold  they 
furnished  thy  markets.  Haran,  and  Calneh,  and  Eden,  the 
merchants  of  Sheba,  Asshur,  Chilmad,  were  thy  traders.  Thev 
were  thy  traders  in  splendid  articles,  in  mantles,  purple  cloths, 
and  embroidery,  and  damask  stuffs  bound  together  with  cords, 


be  distinguished  from  that  which  occurs 
ver.  15,  and  lay  in  northern  Arabia. 
The  inhabitants  were  descended  from 
Keturah  (Gen.  xxv.  3),  and  were  cele- 
brated for  their  pastoral  habits.  Hence 
the  articles  with  which  they  are  de- 
scribed as  supplying  Tyre,  were  such 
as  their  nomadic  country  and  habits  fur- 
nished. ' 

21.  T\1'^  ''']'OPf  thy  merchants:  ^^  de- 
noting ])ossession,  or  occupation. 

22.  JTSj'tiT  i<:i^ ,  'Sheba  and  Raemah, 
countries  in  Aratiia  abounding  in  spices, 
gold,  and  precious  stones.  These  arti- 
cles the  inhabitants  obtained  in  part 
from  India,  and  transported  them  in 
caravans  to  Tyi'c.  \i.■^{"l3  ,  with  the  chief 
or  best  spices.  Comp.  Deut.  xxxiii.  15. 
It  was  from  that  region  that  the  queen 
came  to  behold  the  magnificence  of 
Solomon.  T(12'13'!3' ,  tht/  deliverinr/s,  i.e. 
in  trathc,  one  party  handing  over  to 
another.  The  word  is  also  used  to 
denote  the  profits  or  gains  obtained  by 
trading. 

23.  ')-iri,LXX.Xa^^a,Arab.  ^j!^, 

a  city  of  Mesopotamia,  once  the  dwelling- 
place  of  Abraham,  and  afterwards  cele- 
brated for  the  defeat  of  Crassus.  f^SS , 
Canneh,  otherwise  spelt  Calneh,  an  Assy- 
rian city  situated  on  the  eastern  bank 
of  the  Tigris,  opposite  Seleucia,  and 
identical  with  Ctesiphon  of  the  Greeks. , 
y?.^.  >  Eden,  was  the  name  of  a  beautiful 
valley  near  Damascus,  but  occurring 
here  in  connection  with  Haran  and 
Calneh,  is  in  this  case  to  be  referred  to 
the  same  country  with  them.  Whether 
it  is  to  be  identified  with  the  original 


abode  of  our  first  parents  may  be  ques- 
tioned. We  are  not  authorized  by  the 
simple  circumstance  that  the  merchants 
of  Sheba  are  here  coupled  with  those  of 
Haran,  Canneh  and  Eden,  to  conclude 
with  some  expositors  that  a  country  in 
southern  Arabia  is  intended ;  since,  if 
we  consider  the  term  as  including  Arabia 
Deserta,  they  will  be  brought  into  a 
conterminous  position  in  reference  to 
those  countries,  and  I'egarded  as,  jointly 
with  the  inhabitants  of  those  lands, 
carrying  on  trade  with  Tyre.  '^VJX , 
Assyria,  as  denoting  the  countries  to 
the  east  of  the  Tigris,  comes  into  its 
proper  place.  '^P;?  still  remains  in 
obscurity.  The  LXX.  Xapixdv.  Seholz 
thinks  it  was  probably  the  northern  part 
of  Media  bordering  on  the  Caspian  sea; 
but  the  name  would  seem  to  have  been 
retained  in  the  Kap;tiai/5r/  of  Xenophon, 
which  he  describes  as  lying  beyond  the 
Eujjhrates,  a  large  and  flourishing  city 
■!r6\is  ev5alij.a)v  Kal  /ueyaAr/.  The  con- 
nection of  the  name  with  that  of  Assyria 
favoi's  this  conjecture. 

24.  From  these  eastern  quarters  Tyre 
derived  supplies  of  all  kinds  of  costly 
and  beautiful  garments.  D'^??3^  ,  per- 
fections,  the  most  exquisite  articles  of 
finery.  D'^aisj  ,  mantles,  wide,  hanging 
garments,  pallia.  Compare  the  Greek 
XKafxvi.  Koot,  05?  5  to  wrap  or  fold. 
C'tJii ,  LXX.  Qt)(Tavpovs  eK\fKTovs.  The 
word  is  originally  Persic,  and  signifies 
treasures,  or  chests  in  which  they  are 
deposited  (Esth.  iii.  9).  From  the  con- 
nection we  should  infer  that  precious 
cloths  are  here  meant.  tD''^i'n3  ,  damask 
stuffs,  consisting  of  threads  of  various 


152  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  XXVII.  24-36. 

25  and  cedars,  in  thy  market.  Ships  of  Tarsliish  were  thy  walls, 
thy  trade :  thou  wast  replenished,  thou  wast  greatly  honored,  in 
the  heart  of  the  seas. 

26  Thy  rowers  brought  thee  into  great  waters :  the  east  wind  broke 

27  thee  in  pieces  in  the  heart  of  the  seas.  Thy  riches  and  thy 
markets,  thy  exchange,  thy  mariners  and  thy  pilots,  thy  caulkers, 
and  those  who  bartered  thy  barter,  and  all  thy  warriors  who 
were  in  thee,  even  with  all  thy  collected  multitude  which  was 
in  the  midst  of  thee,  shall  fall  in  the  heart  of  the  seas  in  the  day 

28  of  thy  fall.     At  the  sound  of  the  cry  of  thy  pilots  the  suburbs 

29  shall  shake.  And  all  who  handle  the  oar,  seamen,  and  all  the 
the  pilots  of  the  sea,  shall  come  down  from  their  ships ;  they 

30  shall  stand  on  the  land.  And  cause  their  voice  to  be  heard 
respecting   thee,  and  shall   cry  bitterly,  and  throw  dust   upon 

31  their  heads,  and  wallow  in  ashes.  And  make  themselves  bald  for 
thee  with  great  baldness,  and  gird  on  sackcloth,  and  weep  for 

32  thee  in  bitterness  of  soul,  with  bitter  mourning ;  And  take  up  a 
lamentation  for  thee  in  their  wailing,  and  lament  for  thee  :  Who 
was   like    Tyre,  like   the   destroyed  in  the  midst  of  the  sea? 

33  When  thy  wares  went  forth  from  the  seas,  thou  didst  glut  many 
peoples ;  with  the  multitude  of  thy  riches  and  thy  merchandise  thou 

34  didst  enrich  the  kings  of  the  earth.  Now  thyself  art  broken  by  the 
seas  in  the  depths  of  the  waters  ;  thy  merchandise  and  all  thy 

35  company  are  fallen  in  the  midst  of  thee.  All  the  inhabitants 
of  the  coasts  shall  be  astonished  at  thee,  and  their  kings  shall 

colors  woven  together  in  figures.     Arab.     England.     They  were    the    glory   and 

S     -"'  .  ,  ^,        ^    ,  defence  of  the  merchant-city. 

e,_jjO .   vestis  ex  ittroqiie  filo  contexta.  .  „    „         •, ,      r^        . 

yr°  '  '     -^  26.  All  of  a  sudden  Tyre  is  metaphor- 

2.5.  The  prophet  now   returns   from  ically  introduced   as   a   ship  foundered 

his  enumeration  of  the  various  articles  at   sea.     The  instrument   employed   in 

of  commerce  with  which  Tyre  enriched  effecting  her  destruction  was  0'^'i|3fl  H^"i, 

herself,  and  the  various  countries  with  the  east  wind,  which  blowing  in  a  violent 

which  she  traded,  to  commemorate  her  storm  from  Lebanon,  is  the  most  vehe- 

fall.     But  just  before  entering  upon  that  mcntof  all  in  the  Mediterranean.   Comp.. 

part  of    his    subject,    he    stops   for   a  Ps.  xlviii.  8.     Of  course  the  reference  is 

moment    to    advert    to    her    navy,  by  to  Nebuchadnezzar,  who  is  represented 

which  her  wares  were  conveyed  to  Spain  under  this  figure. 

and  other  coasts  of  the  Mediterranean.         27.  This  specification   has   the  finest 

Ui'^^'in  ni^SX ,  ships  of  Tarshish,  were  effect.     The  destruction  was  to  be  utter 

comparatively  speaking  what  our  India-  and  irrecoverable. 

men  are  in  the  present  day.     They  are         28-36.  Nothing  can  be  more  graphic 

called  ni^iy ,  the  ivalls  of  Tyre,  for  the  than  the  description  here  given  of  the 

same  reason  that  we  speak  of  our  ships  universal  consternation  and   mourning 

of  war  as  the   wooden  Avails  of  Old  produced  by  the  fall  of  Tyre. 


Chap.  XXVIII.  1-6.]  EZEKIEL.  153 

36  greatly  shudder  at  thee,  their  faces  shall  tremble.  The  mer- 
chants among  the  peoples  shall  hiss  at  thee :  thou  shalt  be  au 
object  of  extreme  terror,  and  shalt  not  be  any  more  forever. 


CHAPTER    XXVIII. 

In  this  chapter  we  have  a  sublime  tlirenody  on  the  prince  of  Tyre,  couched  in  language  of 
tiiekeenest  iron)  .  Ilis  fall  is  tirstof  all  traced  to  his  insuli'erable  pride,  wliich  is  described 
in  the  most  glowing  terms,  verses  2-G.  His  merited  punishment  is  next  announced, 
7-10.  The  prophet,  in  obedience  to  the  divine  command,  then  proceeds  to  deliver  the 
funeral  dirge,  exaggerating  the  dignity  and  magnilicence  of  the  fallen  monarch,  with 
which  he  contrasts  his  utter  degradation,  11-19.  Then  follows  a  prediction  announcing 
the  fall  of  the  mother-city,  Zidon,  20-23.  And  the  chapter  concludes  with  promises  of 
deliverance  to  the  Jews,  and  their  restoration  to  prosperity  in  their  own  land,  24-26. 

1  And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying :  Son  of  man,  say 

2  to  the  prince  of  Tyre :  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Forasmuch 
as  thy  heart  was  lifted  up,  and  thou  hast  said :  I  am  a  god  ;  I 
sit  in  the  throne  of  God,  in  the  heart  of  the  seas :  (whereas 
thou  art  a  man,  and  no  god),  and  hast  set  thy  heart  as  the  heart 

3  of  God :  Behold,  thou  art  wiser  than  Daniel,  nothing  secret  is 

4  hid  from  thee.  By  thy  wisdom  and  thine  understanding  thou 
hast  procured  for  thyself  wealth,  and  hast  gotten  gold  and  silver 

5  in  thy  treasuries.  By  the  greatness  of  thy  wisdom  and  thy 
merchandise  thou  hast  increased  thy  riches,  and  thy  heart  was 

6  lifted  up  because  of  thy  riches.  Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord 
Jehovah :  Because  thou  hast  set  thy  heart  as  the  heart  of  God, 

1.  The  monarch  of  Tyre,  at  the  time  the  state  and  dignity  of  Oriental  empires, 

when  Ezekiel    delivered   his   prophecy,  having  not  only  petty  or   subordinate 

was  Ithbaal  II.,  whose  name  has  been  kings,   but  one   supreme   monarch,  in 

preserved    in    the    Phoenician    annals,  whom  concentrated   the  administration 

Josephus,  contra  Apion,  §  21,  calls  him  of  the  affairs  of  state.     The  king  is,  in 

*166l3a\os.     The  name  is  of  frequent  oc-  the  present  instance,  in  language  of  the 

currcnce  in  compound  proper  names  of  keenest  irony,  represented  as  impiously 

Phoenician  and  Carthaginian  men,  and  arrogating  to  himself  equality  with  the 

indicates  that  the  prince  was  specially  Deity  ;    as   did   the   king   of    Babylon 

addicted   to   the  worship  of  Baal,    the  (Isa.  xiv.  1.3).     The  contrast  DTX  nriXI 

tutelary  god  of  the  Tyrians.     He  is  here  PS'Nal. ,  but  thou  art  a  man,  and  not  God, 

designated  T'SJ  ,  prince,  for  which  name  is  inimitable.     Thus  was   the  pride  of 

we  have  '^^^ ,  kinri  (ver.  12).     Consid-  his  heart  checked. 

ering  the  vast  extent  of  riches  possessed        3-6.    Ezekiel    ironically    ascribes    to 

by  the  Phoenici.an  merchants,  it  is  not  Ithbaal  a  higher  degree  of  wisdom  than 

surprising  that  they  should  have  emulated  that  displayed  by  Daniel,  whose  fame 


154 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XXVIII.  6-13. 


10 

11 
12 

13 


Therefore,  behold,  I  will  bring  against  thee  barbarians,  the 
terrible  of  the  nations,  and  they  shall  unsheathe  their  swords 
against  the  beauty  of  thy  wisdom,  and  shall  obscure  thy  sjilen- 
dor.  They  shall  bring  thee  down  to  the  pit,  and  thou  shalt 
die  the  deaths  of  the  slain  in  the  midst  of  the  seas.  Wilt  thou 
still  say,  I  am  God,  before  him  that  slayeth  thee  ?  seeing  thou 
art  a  man,  and  no  god,  in  the  hand  of  him  that  smiteth  thee. 
Thou  shalt  die  the  deaths  of  the  uncircumcised  by  the  hand 
of  barbarians ;  for  I  have  spoken  it,  saith  the  Lord  Jeliovah. 
And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying:  Son  of  man, 
take  up  a  lamentation  for  the  kin*  of  Tyre,  and  say  to  him : 
Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Thou  model  seal,  full  of  wisdom 
and  of  perfect  beauty  :  Thou  wast  in  Eden,  the  garden  of  God ; 
every  precious  stone  was  thy  covering ;  the  sardius,  the  topaz, 
and  the  onyx,  the  chrysolite,  the  sardonyx,  and  the  jasper,  the 
sapphire,  the  carbuncle,  and  the  smaragd,  and  gold :  the  work 
of  thy  tabrets  and  thy  pipes  was  in  thee ;  they  were  prepared  in 


had  reached  the  Tyriaii  court.  Instead 
of  acknowledging  him  in  whose  hand 
is  the  power  to  get  wealth,  he  arrogated 
his  vast  prosperity  entirely  to  himself, 
and  thereby  provoked  the  indignation 
of  the  Most  High. 

7.  D-iia  "^S-i-)^  fii-it ,  foreigners,  barba- 
rians, the  terrible  ones  of  the  nations,  i.e. 
the  Chaldeans,  noted  for  their  barbarity. 
Comp.  Isa.  i.  7  ;  xxv.  2  ;  Ezek.  xxx.  11; 
xxxi.  12. 

8,  9.  Ithbaal  should  be  reduced  to  a 
state  of  the  deepest  degradation  and 
infamy :  his  utter  helplessness  is  strongly 
asserted.  CHiTlp ,  deaths,  a  peculiar 
form  of  the  plural,  to  indicate  emphati- 
cally the  most  violent  death.  The  death 
of  the  king  of  Tyre  is  compared  to  that 
of  those  slain  in  a  sea-engagement,  and 
cast  into  the  deep. 

10.  The  uncircumcised  are  uniformly 
spoken  of  by  the  Jews  as  objects  of 
contempt  and  abhorrence  :  hence  the 
force  of  the  threatening  here  emjdoyed. 

12.  For  the  explanation  of  ^}'^p. »  see 
the  custom  referred  to  in  ray  Comment. 
on  Jer.  ix.  16;  Amos  v.  16.  Such  a 
doleful  ditty  the  prophet  was  now   to 


pronounce  over  the  king  of  Tyre.  As 
it  was  customary  on  such  occasions  to 
reckon  up  the  qualities  for  which  the 
deceased  was  distinguished,  in  order 
thereby  to  enhance  the  greatness  of  the 
loss  sustained,  so  Ezokicl  begins  by  lav- 
ishing his  praise  of  the  kingly  state  of  the 
Tyrian  monarch  as  one  of  une(juallcd 
magnificence.  f"i"'3rri  DH'TI  nriX ,  thou 
art  the  seal  of  perfection.  I  prefer  the 
pointing  Drn ,  a  seal  or  signet,  which 
is  that  of  some  codices  and  printed 
editions.  We  have  thus  the  sul)stantive 
instead  of  the  participle.  LXX.  dTro- 
arcppdyia /xa.  Seals  were  used  for  the 
purpose  of  authenticating  or  securing 
anything.  When  it  is  said,  therefore, 
that  the  king  was  the  seal  of  perfection, 
the  meaning  is  that  he  could  not  be  sur- 
passed in  riches,  splendor,  or  power. 
The  sum-total  of  all  that  was  illustrious 
concentrated  in  him.  He  vindicated  to 
himself  all  that  mortal  could  pretend  to. 
1?^  signifies  to  measure,  take  an  accurate 
and  perfect  account  of  anything  ;  hence 
the  noun  came  to  signify,  in  the  highest 
sense,  absolute  perfection. 

13.  Not  content  with  a  simple  declara- 


Chap.  XXVIII.  13-17.] 


EZEKIEL. 


155 


14  the  day  when  thou  wast  created.  Thou  wast  an  anointed  cherub 
which  coveredst ;  and  I  placed  thee  on  the  sacred  mount  of 
God :  there  thou  wast ;  in  the  midst  of  the  stones  of  fire  thou 

15  walkedst.  Thou  wast  j^erfect  in  thy  ways  from  the  day  in 
which  thou  wast  created  until  wickedness  was  found  in  thee. 

16  By  the  greatness  of  thy  merchandise  they  filled  thy  midst  with 
violence,  and  thou  didst  sin ;  then,  from  the  mount  of  God,  I 
treated  thee  as  profane,  yea,  I  destroyed  thee  from  the  midst  of 

17  the  stones  of  fire,  O  cherub  which  coveredst.  Thy  heart  lifted 
itself  up  in  thy  beauty,  thou  spoiledst  thy  wisdom  by  reason  of 
thy  splendor ;  I  threw  thee  down  on  the  earth,  I  placed  thee 


tion  to  this  effect,  tlie  prophet  enters  into 
particulars,  and  commences  by  placing 
the  monarch  in  the  primitive  abode  of 
man,  with  which  was  associated  every 
idea  of  pleasure  and  delight.  It  is  quite 
a  lowering  of  the  subject  to  suggest 
with  Michaclis  that  he  might  have  had 
a  summer  residence  in  the  beautiful 
valley  of  the  cedars  of  Lebanon,  whither 
he  retired  during  the  hot  season  of  the 
year.  Eden  was  called  tlie  garden  of 
God,  because  it  was  of  his  plantation, 
and  formed  the  delightful  scene  of  his 
divine  manifestations  to  the  first  pair. 
To  have  been  there,  conveys  the  idea  of 
the  most  distinguished  honor  and  felicity. 
Taking  occasion  from  his  reference  to 
Eden,  with  which  the  Bible  history 
connects  the  existence  of  bdellium  and 
onyx-stones,  Ezekiel,  with  his  usual 
minuteness,  gives  a  detailed  account  of 
the  precious  gems  which  adorned  the 
regal  state.  The  nine  precious  stones 
here  specified  correspond  to  those  with 
the  same  names  in  the  description  of  the 
high  priest's  breastplate  (Exod.  xxxix. 
10-13).  Those  composing  the  third  row 
are  omitted  in  the  Hebrew  text,  which 
Michaclis  ascribes  to  an  error  of  the 
copyist ;  but  they  are  expressed  in  that 
of  the  LXX.  The  day  of  the  creation 
of  the  king  was  that  of  his  accession  to 
the  throne.  It  was  celebrated,  as  such 
occasions  usually  are,  with  outbursts  of 
popular  rejoicing. 

14.  The  fact  of  Ezekiel's  mind  having 


been  led  to  dwell  upon  the  scene  in  the 
Jewish  temple,  furnishes  the  key  to  the 
words  ti51SJl  S^l'^S  ,  the  cherub  that  cov- 
ereth.  As  the  cherubim  overshadowed  the 
mercy-seat  with  their  outspread  wings, 
so  the  king  of  Tyre  is  represented  as 
extending  his  protection  to  the  city 
and  all  its  interests.  His  regal  position 
Jehovah  vindicates  *o  himself.  Comp. 
Prov.  viii.  16  ;  Eom.  xiii.  1.  He  was 
consecrated  to  this  dignity,  as  everything 
connected  with  the  temple  was,  and  was 
so  bespangled  with  gems  that  he  might 
be  said  to  walk  in  the  midst  of  them. 
^"^"1'^  ^t!P  '^^!  1  the  lioltj  mountain  of 
God.  To  this  his  illimitable  ambition 
aspired.  In  imagination  he  occupied 
Mount  Zion,  the  dwelling-place  of  the 
Most  High 

15-17.  The  rectitude  with  which  the 
monarch  commenced  his  reign  may  be 
illustrated  by  a  reference  to  the  history 
of  Hiram  (1  Kings  v.  7)  ;  but  having  in 
process  of  time  become  corrupt  through 
the  uninterrupted  commercial  prosperity 
of  the  Tyrian  state,  he  indulged  in  un- 
scrupulous acts  of  injustice  and  cruelty, 
on  account  of  which  merited  punishment 
is  here  denounced.  There  is  a  palpable 
paronomasia  in  ?jP2J5^  and  "t!!?^-  Both 
roots  from  which  the  verbs  are  derived 
have  the  signification  in  common,  to  be 
bright,  shine,  etc.  Pride  of  heart  arising 
from  a  consciousness  of  beauty  has  a 
strong  tendency  to  corrupt  the  under- 
standing.    The  royal  personage  was  to 


loG 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XXVIII.  17-23. 


18  before  kings  that  they  might  look  at  thee.  By  reason  of  the 
multitude  of  thine  iniquities,  through  the  wickedness  of  thy 
merchandise  thou  hast  profaned  thy  sanctuaries ;  therefore  I 
will  cause  fire  to  come  forth  out  of  thy  midst,  which  shall  con- 
sume thee ;  and  I  will  reduce  thee  to  ashes  upon  the  ground  in 

19  the  sight  of  all  who  behold  thee.  All  who  knew  thee  among 
the  peoples  shall  be  astounded  on  thine  account ;  thou  shalt  be 
an  object  of  extreme  terror,  and  shalt  not  be  any  more  forever. 

20  And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying :  Son  of  man,  set 

21  thy   face  against    Zidon,   and  prophesy   against  her,  and  say: 

22  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  Behold,  I  am  against  thee,  O 
Zidon,  and  I  will  be  glorified  in  the  midst  of  thee,  and  they  shall 
know  that  I  am  Jehovah,  when  I  execute  judgments  in  her,  and 

23  am  sanctified  in  her.  And  I  will  send  on  her  pestilence,  and 
blood  in  her  streets,  and  the  slain  shall  fall  in  the  midst  of  her 
by  the  sword  against  her  round  about,  and  they  shall  know  that 


be  hurled  from  the  summit  of  his  eleva- 
tion, from  which  he  had  looked  down 
with  disdain  on  others,  and  to  be  made 
an  example  to  the  great  ones  of  the 
earth  of  the  nothingness  of  all  earthly 
grandeur,  and  the  guilt  contracted  by 
violence  and  oppression.  For  '^^5<'!!? 
read   with   one   of  Kennicott's   codices 

1 8.  Instead  of  ^^•^'^p^  ,  thy  sanctuaries, 
forty  of  Kennicott's  and  De  Rossi's 
codices  read  ']'4-!'^p^  >  thy  sanctuary,  in 
the  singular.  The  sanctuaries  of  Tyre 
were  the  temples  erected  for  the  worship 
of  the  gods  severally  acknowledged  by 
the  different  nations  whose  merchants 
frequented  her  port,  and  especially  Her- 
cules, the  celebrated  hero  of  Grecian 
mythology. 

20-23.  The  prophet  is  now  commanded 
to  turn  for  a  moment  from  Tyre,  and 
denounce  the  divine  judgments  against 
the  neighboring  city  of  Zidon.  Having 
entered  with  so  much  particularity  into 
his  description  of  the  fall  of  the  former 
city,  in  which  that  of  Zidon  might  be 
regarded  as  virtually  implied,  it  was 
not  necessary  to  do  more  than  generally 
to  predict  the  certainty  of  the  divine 
inflictions.     "JIT^^,  Zidon,  was   a  very 


ancient  Phoenician  city,  otherwise  famous 
for  its  iishery  (hence  its  name  from  '1^i£  « 
to  hunt  Jjsh,  etc.),  and  afterwards  for  its 
extcu'ded  and  flourishing  commerce  both 
by  sea  and  land.  It  became  so  noted 
for  the  manufacture  of  glass  and  other 
articles  of  luxury,  that  the  ci)ithet  Sidonia 
ars  was  used  by  the  ancients  to  denote 
whatever  was  elegant  or  magnificent. 
According  to  Strabo,  the  Zidonians  were 
celebrated  for  their  skill  in  astronomy, 
philosophy,  navigation,  and  all  the  lib- 
eral arts.  Zidon  was  founded  by  the 
first-born  of  Canaan  (Gen.  x.  15)  ;  and 
was  situated,  according  to  Strabo,  two 
hundred  stadia  to  the  north  of  Tyre. 
Favored  by  its  position  on  the  coast 
of  the  Mediterranean,  it  early  became 
celebrated  for  its  commerce.  In  the  time 
of  Jacob,  it  is  mentioned  in  connection 
with  shipping  (Gen.  xlix.  13);  and  in 
that  of  Joshua,  it  is  celebrated  as  a 
"great"  city,  (Josh.  xi.  8;  xix.  28).  It 
lay  within  the  boundary  of  the  land 
assigned  to  the  tribe  of  Asher  ;  but 
was  never  conquered  by  the  Israelites, 
(Judg.  i.  31 ).  Its  proximity  to  Lebanon 
procured  it  many  advantages.  At  the 
present  day,  the  town  of  Saida,  Ic\-a.O  , 
a  little  to  the  west,  occupies  its  site.     It 


Chap.  XXIX.  3.]  EZEKIEL.  157 

24  I  am  Jehovah.  And  there  shall  no  more  be  a  pricking  thorn  or 
a  nettle  occasioning  pain  to  the  house  of  Israel  of  all  who  are 
around  them,  who  treated  them  with  despite,  and  they  shall 
know  that  I  am  the  Lord  Jehovah.     Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jeho- 

25  vah  :  AVlien  I  collect  the  house  of  Israel  from  the  peo25les  among 
whom  I  have  scattered  them,  and  am  sanctified  in  them  in  the 
sight  of  the  nations,  and  they  shall  dwell   in  their  own  land 

26  which  I  did  give  to  my  servant  Jacob :  Then  shall  they  dwell 
in  it  securely,  and  build  houses,  and  plant  vineyards ;  and  dwell 
securely,  when  I  execute  judgments  upon  all  who  treated  them 
with  despite  around  them ;  and  they  shall  know  that  I  am  Je- 
hovah their  God. 

has  a  fine  old  ruined  tower  projecting  Niphal,  adopted  for  the  purpose  of  more 

far  into  the  sea,  with  a  bridge  of  many  forcibly  expressing  the  completeness  of 

arches  that  was  built  to  reach  it.     See  the  destruction   which   should  overtake 

Robinson's  Palestine,  iii.  41.5-428.     In  the  Zidonians.     Some  trace  of  a  paro- 

Matt.  xi.  22,  Tyre  and  Zidon  are  coupled  nomasia  may  be  detected  in  ^^^  ''^??  • 
together.  24-26.  These  cities,  which  had  been 

We  have  no  authentic  historical  infor-  a  constant  source  of  annoyance  to  their 

mation    relative    to   the   destruction   of  neighbors,  and   to   none   more  than  to 

Zidon,  but  there  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  Jews,  being  rendered  powerless,  the 

it  was  effected   by  the   same  Chaldean  people  of  God,  restored  from  Babylon  to 

power  which  overthrew  Tyre.     In  fact,  their  own  land,   should  enjoy  all  their 

as  we  have  just  observed,  the  destruction  ancient  pi'ivileges,  and  all  around  them  be 

of  the  one   virtually   involved   that  of  compelled  to  ascribe  to  Jehovah,  as  their 

the  other.     ?^S3 »  an  emphatic  form  of  covenant  God,  the  glory  due  to  his  name. 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

This  forms  the  first  of  four  chapters  directed  against  Egj-pt.  Pharaoh,  a  monarch  with 
whom  the  Hebrews  were  frequently  in  contact,  is  represented  as  vaunting  in  the  security 
of  his  position,  when  the  prophet  is  commissioned  to  announce  the  divine  interposition 
to  effect  the  desolation  of  his  country  througliout  its  whole  extent,  1-12.  Though  after 
the  lapse  of  forty  years  the  Egyptian  people  were  to  be  restored  to  their  country,  the 
kingdom  was  never  to  emerge  from  that  state  of  degradation  to  which  it  should  be 
reduced,  13-16.  The  following  verses  17-20,  distinctly  announce  the  conquest  of  the 
country  by  Kebucbadnezzar ;  and  the  chapter  concludes  with  a  promise  of  future  pros- 
perity to  the  Jews,  21. 

1  In  the  tenth  year,  in  the  tenth  month,  on  the  twelfth  day  of  the 

2  month,  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying:    Son  of 
man,  set  thy  face  against  Pharaoh  king  of  Egypt,  yea,  prophesy 

3  against  him,  and  against  all  Egypt.     Speak,  and  say  :  Thus  saith 

3,   i^S'^Q ,    Pharaoh,   was    a    general     time  of  the  Persian  conquest.     A  more 
name  of  the  kings  of  Egypt  down  to  the    appropriate  emblem  of  these  kings  could 
U 


158  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  XXIX.  3-13 . 

the  Lord  Jehovah :  Behold,  I  am  against  thee,  O  Pharaoh,  king 
of  Egypt,  the  great  sea-monster  that  croucheth  in  the  midst  of 
his  rivers,  who  saith :  My  river  is  mine,  and  I  made  it  for  my- 

4  self.  But  I  will  put  hooks  in  thy  jaws,  and  will  cause  the  fish 
of  thy  rivers  to  cleave  to  thy  scales,  and  will  bring  thee  up  from 
the  midst  of  thy  rivers,  and  all  the  fish  of  thy  rivers  shall  cleave 

5  to  thy  scales ;  And  I  will  thrust  thee  forth  into  the  desert,  both 
thee  and  all  the  fish  of  thy  rivers  ;  upon  the  surface  of  the  field 
thou  shalt  fall,  thou  shalt  not  be  gathered  up  nor  collected;  I 
have  given  thee  to  the  wild  beast  of  the  earth  and  to  the  birds 

6  of  heaven  for  food.  And  all  the  inhabitants  of  Egypt  shall 
know  that  I  am  Jehovah,  because  they  were  a  staft  of  reed  to 

7  lean  upon  to  the  house  of  Israel.  When  they  laid  hold  of  thee 
by  thy  hand,  thou  wast  broken,  and  thou  didst  cleave  for  them 
the  entire  shoulder ;  and  when  they  leaned  upon  thee,  thou  wast 

8  broken,  and  all  their  loins  were  put  out  of  joint.  Therefore 
thus  saith   the  Lord  Jehovah :   Behold,  I  will  bring   a  sword 

9  upon  thee,  and  will  cut  oiF  from  thee  man  and  beast.  And  the 
land  of  Egypt  shall  become  desolate  and  waste ;  and  they  shall 
know  that  I  am  Jehovah ;  because  he  said  :  the  river  is  mine, 

10  and  I  made  it.  Therefore,  behold,  I  am  against  thee,  and  against 
thy  rivers,  and  I  will  make  the  land  of  Egypt  most  desolate  and 
waste  from  Migdol  unto  Syene,  and  unto  the  border  of  Cush. 

11  No  foot  of  man  shall  pass  through  her,  neither  shall  foot  of 
beast  pass  through  her,  and  she  shall  not  be  dwelt  in  for  forty 

12  years.  And  I  will  make  the  land  of  Egypt  desolate  in  the 
midst  of  desolate  countries ;  and  her  cities  in  the  midst  of  deso- 
late cities ;  they  shall  be  desolate  forty  years.  And  I  will 
scatter  the    Egyptians   among  the  nations,  and  disperse   them 

13  among  the  countries.  Yet  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  :  At 
the  end  of  forty  years,  I  will  gather  the  Egyptians  from  the 

not  have  been  selected  than  that  of  0*^20  ,  of  the  crocodile,  resembling  as  they  do 

by  which  we  are  to  understand  the  croc-  the  plates  of  a  coat  of  mail.     Continuing 

odile,  the  terrible  sea-monster  inhabiting  his  emblematical  allusion,  the   prophet 

the   Nile,    whose    usual    size   is   about  represents  Jehovah  as  dragging  up  the 

eighteen  or  twenty  feet  in  length,  l)ut  monster  with   a  hook,  while   attendant 

sometimes  from   thirty  to  forty.     This  shoals  adhere  to  his  scales  for  shelter, 

animal  occurs  on  Koman  coins  as  cm-  6,  7.  All  the  alliances  which  the  Jews 

blematical  of  Egypt.    The  D'^^I^'^.  >  i-ivcrs,  formed  with  Egypt  proved  fruitless  and 

were  the  branches  into  which  the  Nile  noxious.    Comp.  Isa.  xxx.  1-5 ;  2  Kings 

was  divided,  and  to  which  the  countr}'  xviii.  21. 

was  indebted  for  its  fertility.     D'^'^p'i^p  8-13.  The  sword  which  God  threatens 

are  appropriately  descriptive  of  the  scales  to  bring  upon  the  king  of  Egypt  was 


CnAP.  XXIX.  13-20.1 


EZEKIEL, 


159 


14  peoples  whither  they  were  scattered.  And  I  will  reverse  the 
captivity  of  the  Egyptians,  and  restore  them  to  the  laud  of 
Pathros,  to  the  land  of  their  nativity  ;  and  they  shall  be  there  a 

15  base  kingdom.  It  shall  be  the  basest  of  the  kingdoms,  and  shall 
not  exalt  itself  any  more  over  the  nations.     And  I  will  diminish 

16  them,  that  they  may  not  have  dominion  among  the  nations.  And 
they  shall  no  more  be  an  object  of  confidence  to  the  house  of 
Israel,  causing  iniquity  to  be  remembered,  while  they  turn  after 
them;  and  they  shall  know  that  I  am  the  Lord  Jehovah. 

17  And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  seven  and  twentieth  year,  in  the  first 

month,  on  the  first  of  the  mouth,  that  the  word  of  Jehovah 


that  of  Nebuchadnezzar.  Comp.  verses 
1 8-20.  ^i'n?T3  ,  Miridul,  and  ^ID" D ,  Scvene, 
Strabo  'Zvr,vr],  were  cities  at  the  two 
extremities  of  Egypt ;  the  former  a  few 
miles  to  the  north  of  Suez  in  Lower 
Egypt;  and  the  Litter  near  the  modern 
city  of  Asevan,  towards  Nubia,  celebrated 
for  its  ruins  of  temples  and  palaces. 

The  period  of  forty  years  is  supposed 
to  include  that  from  the  conquest  of 
Egypt  by  Nebuchadnezzar  till  she  shook 
off  the  Babylonian  yoke  in  the  time  of 
Cyrus.  Some  interpreters  are  of  opinion 
that  the  years  are  not  to  be  taken 
literally,  but  consider  the  language  as 
hyperbolical.  Fairbairn  thinks  that  the 
prophecy  is  to  be  taken  in  a  historico- 
ideal  sense,  and  illustrates  it  by  reference 
to  the  explanation  he  gives  of  chap.  iv. 
Whatever  thei-e  may  be  in  this  argument, 
or  in  the  absence  of  strict  chronological 
data  in  support  of  a  simply  literal  sense, 
there  is  nothing  in  the  circumstances  of 
the  case  to  warrant  our  absolute  rejection 
of  the  latter.  History  so  nearly  quad- 
rates with  the  language  of  the  prophet, 
that  little  account  is  to  be  made  of  a 
few  years  more  or  less. 

14,  15.  Far  Pathros  see  Comment,  on 
Isa.  xi.  11.  On  the  conquest  of  Babylon 
by  Cyrus,  the  Egyptians  who  with  others 
were  captives  in  that  country,  were  set 
at  liberty.  The  prediction  that  Egypt 
was  to  be  the  basest  of  kingdoms  is  not 
to  be  pressed  so  as  to  make  it  clash  with 
the  present  condition  of  that  country. 


It  was  sufficiently  fullillcd  in  its  con- 
tinuance for  so  many  centuries  in  such 
depressed  circumstances  as  not  to  entitle 
it  to  be  ranked  with  the  ancient  mon- 
archies of  the  earth.  It  was  never  again 
to  become  a  basis  of  confidence  to  the 
Jews.  They  should  no  longer  hanker 
after  protection  from  it,  and  thereby 
enhance  the  guilt  anciently  contracted 
by  their  fathers.  Under  Amasis,  it  was 
greatly  reduced.  It  was  still  more 
humbled  under  Cambyses,  by  whom  it 
was  conquered ;  and  none  of  its  attempts 
to  recover  itself  under  the  Persian  mon- 
archy succeeded.  Nor  has  it,  amid  all 
the  changes  to  which  its  affairs  have 
since  been  subject,  ever  acquired  any- 
thing in  the  shape  of  supremacy  over 
otiier  nations  of  the  earth.  Even  in  the 
present  day,  notwithstanding  all  that 
has  been  done  for  it  by  the  Pashas,  it 
still  retains  marks  of  inferiority. 

A  period  of  nearly  seventeen  years 
intervened  between  the  delivery  of  the 
preceding  prophecy  and  that  which  fol- 
lows, but  they  are  thrown  together  in  the 
canon  as  relating  to  the  same  subject. 

17-20.  It  is  not  to  be  inferred  from 
these  verses  that  Nebuchadnezzar  was 
unsuccessful  in  his  attack  upon  Tyre. 
All  that  can  fairly  be  inferred  from  them 
is,  that  the  spoils  which  he  gained  on 
that  occasion  were  considered  a  very 
inadequate  remuneration  to  him  and  his 
army  for  the  vast  expenditure  of  time 
and   strength  which   it   had   cost  him. 


160  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  [Chap.  XXX.  1-4. 

18  came  unto  me,  saying :  Son  of  man,  Nebuchadrezzar,  king  of 
Babylon,  caused  his  army  to  serve  with  great  service  against 
Tyre :  every  head  was  bald,  and  every  shoulder  made  bare, 
while  there  was  no  pay  to  him  and  his  army  from  Tyre,  for  the 

19  service  which  he  served  against  her.  Therefore  thus  saith  the 
Lord  Jehovah :  Behold,  I  will  give  to  Nebuchadrezzar,  king  of 
Babylon,  the  land  of  Egypt ;  and  he  shall  take  away  her  multi- 
tude, and  her  spoil,  and  her  prey,  and  she  shall  be  pay  for  his 

20  army.  As  his  wages  for  what  he  served  against  her,  I  have 
given  him  the  land  of  Egypt,  because  they  wrought  for  me, 

21  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah.  In  that  day  I  will  cause  the  horn  of 
the  house  of  Israel  to  bud ;  and  I  will  give  thee  an  opening  of 
the  mouth  in  the  midst  of  them ;  end  they  shall  know  that  I  am 
Jehovah. 

Jehovah,  whose  work  he  had  performed,  rule,  the  Jews  were   to  be   restored  to 

here  promises  to  recompense  him  M'ith  tlieir  own  hind,  and  full  liberty  was  to 

the  conquest  of  Egypt.     On   breaking  be  given  to  the  prophet  to  exercise  his 

up   from   Tyre   he    proceeded    to   that  ministry  among  them.     Sacred  history 

country,  which   he  found  so  distracted  is   silent  relative   to   the   last    days   of 

by  internal  commotions,  that  he  easily  Ezekiel,  but  there  is  nothing  that  mili- 

devastated  and  made  himself  master  of  tates   against   the   supposition   that  he 

the  whole  land.  returned    with    his    fellow-countrymen 

21.  While  Egypt  was  subject  to  eastern  from  Babylon. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

A  second  prophecy  against  Egypt,  consisting  of  two  parts,  the  first,  verses  1-19,  containing 
detailed  predictions  relative  to  the  desolations  which  should  overtake  different  parts  of 
the  country.  The  second  part,  20-26,  contains  a  repetition  of  the  prophetic  announce- 
ments of  the  coming  judgments  in  more  general  terms. 

1  And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying:  Son  of  man, 

2  prophesy  and  say :    Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Howl  ye ! 

3  alas,  for  the  day  !     For  the  day  is  near,  even  the  day  of  Jehovah 
is  near,  a  day  of  clouds :  it  shall  be  the  time  of  the  nations. 

4  For  the  sword  shall  come  against  Egypt,  and  great  pangs  shall 
be  in  Cush,  when  the  slain  fall  in  Egypt,  and  they  take  away 

1-3.  The  judgments   to  be  inflicted  were  to  overtake  all  the  enemies  of  God 

should  be  so  tremendous  in  their  char-  and  of  his  people. 

acter,  that  they  were  calculated  to  4.  rtnpH  is  rendered  doubly  em- 
produce  feelings  of  the  greatest  alarm,  phatic  by  the  repetition  of  the  syllable, 
not  in  the  minds  of  the  Egyptians  only,  The  word  is  derived  from  310 ,  which 
but  in  other  heathen  nations.     They  signifies  to  be  in  pangs  as  in  childbirth. 


Chaf.  XXX.  5-10.] 


EZEKIEL. 


161 


10 


11 


12 


her  multitude,  and  her  foundations  are  torn  up.  Cush,  and 
Put,  and  Lud,  and  all  the  mixed  people,  and  Chub,  and  the 
sons  of  the  land  of  the  covenant,  with  them  they  shall  fall  by 
the  sword.  Thus  saith  Jehovah :  The  supports  of  Egypt  shall 
fall,  and  the  pride  of  her  strength  shall  come  down ;  from 
Migdol  unto  Syene  they  shall  fall  in  her  by  the  sword,  saith  the 
Lord  Jehovah.  And  they  shall  be  desolate,  in  the  midst  of  the 
countries  that  are  desolate,  and  its  cities  shall  be  in  the  midst 
of  wasted  cities.  And  they  shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah, 
when  I  set  a  fire  in  Egyj^t,  and  all  her  helpers  are  destroyed. 
At  that  day  shall  messengers  go  forth  from  me  in  ships  to  terrify 
secure  Cush,  and  great  pain  shall  be  upon  them,  as  in  the  day 
of  Egypt ;  for,  behold,  it  cometh.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah: 
Then  I  will  make  the  multitude  of  Egypt  to  cease  by  the  hand 
of  Nebuchadrezzar  the  king  of  Babylon.  He  and  his  people 
with  him,  the  terrible  of  the  nations,  shall  be  brought  to  destroy 
the  land ;  and  they  shall  unsheathe  their  swords  against  Egypt, 
and  fill  the  land  with  slain.  And  I  will  make  the  rivers  dry, 
and  sell  the  country  into  the  hand  of  the  wicked,  and  wall  make 
desolate  the  land  and  her  fulness  by  the  hand  of  barbarians :  I 


5.  For  IIJIS ,  Cush,  see  Comment,  on 
Isa.xi.  11.  For  U^S  ,P«t,  on  Jer.xlvi.9. 
For  I^P ,  LycUa,  on  Isa.  Ixvi.  19.  By 
2"!!?  we  are  to  understand  a  mixed  mass 
of  foreigners,  most  probably  from  the 
interior  of  Africa,  who  served  in  the 
Egyptian  army.  Comp.  Exod.  xii.  38  ; 
Jer.  XXV.  20,  24.  Where  S^lS  ,  Chub,  Lay, 
has  been  much  disputed.  It  appears  to 
have  been  unknown  to  the  translators 
of  the  LXX.,  for  they  have  nothing  cor- 
responding to  the  word  in  their  version. 
Michaelis  is  of  opinion,  that  the  name 
is  to  be  found  in  Kuhe,  a  mercantile 
city  on  the  Indian  Ocean,  described  by 
ancient  geographers  as  lying  on  the 
eighth  degree  of  north  latitude.     The 

Arabic  version  reads  iS>^ykj\     JjO?  , 

the  inhabitants  of  Nubia,  which  has  been 
thought  to  be  supported  by  3123 ,  the 
primary  reading  of  one  of  De  Rossi's 
MSS. ;  but  Nubia  is  always  expressed 
in  Hebrew  by  013  ,  Cush.  ■{'"IX  "^i^ 
T\'^'^2^ ,  the  sons  of  the  land  of  the  cove- 
14* 


nant,  cannot  well  be  otherwise  ex- 
plained than  as  signifying  the  Jews, 
who  carried  Jeremiah  the  prophet  into 
Egypt,  and  who  had  taken  up  their 
abode  there.  Even  they  were  not  to 
escape. 

6-8.  Egypt  was  to  share  the  fate  of 
the  other  countries  that  had  been  con- 
quered by  Nebuchadnezzar.  She  and 
her  auxiliaries  were  to  be  involved  in 
one  common  destruction. 

9.  The  Ethiopians,  lying  beyond  the 
cataracts  of  the  Nile,  might  deem  them- 
selves secure  from  the  attack  of  the 
invader,  but  they  also  should  not  escape. 
Messengers  were  to  be  despatched  by 
skiffs  on  the  Nile  as  far  as  navigable,  to 
announce  the  irruption  of  the  Chaldeans. 
Comp.  Isa.  xviii.  2.  01  j^?  Q'^"'2J  >  as 
the  day  of  Egypt.  A  similar  judgment 
should  overtake  the  Ethiopians  to  that 
which  was  to  be  inflicted  on  the  Egyp- 
tians. 

10.  The  multitude,  refers  to  the  then 
existing  population,  which,  according  to 


162  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  [Chap.  XXX.  12-18. 

13  Jehovah  have  spoken  it.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  I  will 
also  destroy  the  idols,  and  cause  the  gods  of  nought  to  cease 
from  Noph,  and  there  shall  be  no  more  a  prince  of  the  land  of 

14  Egypt ;  and  I  will  set  fear  in  the  land  of  Egypt.  And  I  will 
devastate  Pathros,  and  set  fire  in  Zoan,  and  will  execute  judg- 

15  ments  in  No.     And   I  will   pour   out  my  fury  upon  Sin,  the 

16  fortress  of  Egypt,  and  cut  off  Ilaman  No.  And  when  I  set  fire 
in  Egypt,  Sin  shall  be  in  great  pain,  and  No  shall  be  broken  in 

17  upon,  and  Noph  shall  be  in  daily  distress.  The  youths  of  Aven 
and  Pi-beseth  shall  fall  by  the  sword,  and  the  women  shall  go 

18  into  captivity.  And  in  Tahpenhes  the  day  shall  become  dark, 
when  I  break  there  the  sceptres  of  Egypt ;  and  the  pride  of  her 
strength  shall  cease  in  her ;  as  for  herself  a  cloud  shall  cover 

19  her,  and  her  daughters  shall  go  into  captivity.  And  I  will  exe- 
cute my  judgments  on  Egypt,  and  they  shall  know  that  I  am 
Jehovah. 

20  And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  eleventh  year,  in  the  first  month,  on 

the  seventh  of  the  month,  that  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto 

21  me,  saying :  Son  of  man,  I  have  broken  the  arm  of  Pharaoh,  king 
of  Egypt ;  and,  behold,  it  shall  not  be  bound  up  by  giving 
medicines,  laying  on  a  bandage  to  bind  it  and  strengthen  it,  that 
it  may  handle  the  sword. 

all  the  accounts  of  the  ancients,  must  was  regarcled  as  the  key  to  the  country. 
have  been  very  great.  16.  woi^  "'t^?'  enemies  daily,  i.e.  day 

12.  Comp.  Isa.  xix.  5-10.  The  drying  after  day,  perpetually,  till  the  city,  how- 
up  of  the  canals  of  the  Nile  would  ever  obstinate  might  be  her  resistance, 
greatly   facilitate   the   conquest  of  the  should  be  taken. 

country  by  the  invading  army.  17.  'j.']^  >  Aven,  On,  or  IleliopoUs,  cele- 

13.  C|3  ,iVo/j/i,  i.e.  Memphis,  the  ancient  bratcd  for  its  temple  of  the  sun,  hence 
capital  of  Middle  Egypt,  and  the  chief  called  Bethshemesh  by  the  Hebrews, 
city  of  her  gods.  See  Comment,  on  Comp.  Jer.  xliii.  13.  It  lay  a  few  miles 
Isa.  xix.  13.  north  of  Memphis  on  the  eastern  bank 

14,15.  "ji'lS  ,Zban,  one  of  the  principal  of  the   Nile.      nD3""'Q  ,   Pi-beseth,   the 

cities  of  Lower  Egypt,  and  a  royal  resi-  pi-incipal  city  of  the  region  of  Bubastis, 

dence  of  the  Pharaohs.     See  Comment,  whose  temple  attracted  vast  numbers  of 

on  Isa.  xix.  11.     It  would  be  one  of  the  people  to  its  festivals.     Though  entirely 

first  places  attacked  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  destroyed,  the  fine  granite  stones  which 

6*3  ,A^o,Diospolis,  or  Thebes,  the  ancient  mark  its  site  confirm  the  account  given 

metropolis  of  Upper  Egypt,  the  splendid  by  Herodotus  of  its  ancient  magnificence, 

ruins  of  which,  as  exhibited  by  Wilkin-  18.  DnpSHri ,   Tahpenhes,    a   strongly 

son,  are   such  as  to  excite  the  greatest  fortified    frontier-city,    near    Pelusium. 

astonishment.     T'P »  Sin,  i.e.  Pelusium,  See  Comment,  on  Isa.  xxx.  4 ;  Jer.  ii.  16. 

situated   on   the  north-eastern  frontier  LXX.Ta^^rj,  Daphne.    niJ^,  if  pointed 

of  Egypt,  which  having   been  strongly  Ti'ili'O ,  will   signify  sceptres;  if  PltJa, 

fortified,  and  surrounded  by  marshes,  yokes.    Either  meaning  will  well   suit 


Chap.  XXXI.  2.]  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  163 

22  Wherefore  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jelrovah:  Behold,  I  am  against 

Pharaoh,  king  of  Egypt,  and  I  will  break  his  arms,  the  strong 
one,  and  the  broken  one,  and  will  cause  the  sword  to  fall  out  of 

23  his  hand.     And  I  will  scatter  the  Egyptians  among  the  nations, 

24  and  disperse  them  through  the  countries :  And  I  will  strengthen 
the  arms  of  the  king  of  Babylon,  and  put  my  sword  into  his 
hand ;  and  I  will  break  the  arms  of  Pharaoh,  and  he  shall  groan 
before  him  with  the  groauings  of  one  who  is  deadly  wounded. 

25  And  I  will  strengthen  the  arms  of  the  king  of  Babylon,  and  the 
arms  of  Pharaoh  shall  fall ;  and  they  shall  know  that  I  am 
Jehovah,  when  I  give  my  sword  into  the  hand  of  the  king  of 

26  Babylon,  and  he  shall  stretch  it  over  the  land  of  Egypt.  And 
I  will  scatter  the  Egyptians  among  the  nations,  and  disperse 
them  in  the  countries,  that  they  may  know  that  I  am  Jehovah. 

the   connection,  hut   the  former  would  Euphrates  were  taken  from  the  Egyp- 

seem  the  preferable.  tians,  his  strength  was  now  to  be  com- 

22-26,    III   addition   to   the  victories  pletcly  broken.     His  armies  were  to  be 

gained  by  Nebuchadnezzar  over  Pharaoh-  so  totally  annihilated  as  to  be  unable  to 

Necho,  by  which  the  conquests  of  the  engage  any   more   in  war   against   the 

latter  from   the  river  of  Egypt  to   the  conqueror. 


CHAPTER   XXXI. 

In  this  chapter,  which  was  delivered  two  months  later  than  the  prophecy  contained  in  the 
coucluding  part  of  that  which  precedes,  we  have  one  of  the  most  finished  and  beautiful 
specimens  of  Ezekiel's  composition.  In  order  to  furnish  a  palpable  exhibition  of  the 
awful  catastrophe  which  awaited  the  Eg-yptian  monarchy,  the  prophet  gives  a  striking 
parabolic  description  of  the  Assyrian  empire  in  its  most  flourishing  state,  comparing  it 
to  one  of  the  majestic  trees  of  Lebanon,  on  the  glory  of  which  he  expatiates  with  the 
richest  luxuriance,  1-9.  He  then  by  a  sudden  transition  depicts  the  precipitation  of 
the  king  of  Nineveh  from  the  proud  position  which  he  had  held  among  the  monarchs 
of  the  earth,  and  thereby  foreshadows  the  fate  of  Pharaoh,  who  was  to  be  delivered 
into  the  hands  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  10-18. 

1  And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  eleventh  year,  in  the  third  month,  on 

the  first  of  the  month,  that  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me, 

2  saying:  Son  of  man,  say  to  Pharaoh,  king  of  Egypt,  and  to  his 

2.  The  prophet  was  to  commence  with  throughout  of  Egypt,  but  snch  an  opinion 
a  direct  address  to  Pharaoh,  which  he  is  not  in  keeping  with  the  tenor  of  the 
accordingly  does  by  introducing  his  parable.  It  is  mei'cly  a  momentary 
beautiful  parable.  From  the  circum-  divarication  indicative  of  the  application 
stance  that  the  address  is  changed  at  on  which  it  was  to  be  made  to  tell, 
the  tenth  verse  into  the  second  person,  That  by  f^N ,  ver.  3,  we  are  to  under- 
some  have  concluded  that  Ezekiel  speaks  stand  the  cedar,  and  not  the  pine  or  tho 


154  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  XXXI.  2-1 0. 

3  multitude :  Wliom  art  thou  like  in  thy  greatness  ?  Behold, 
Assyria  was  a  cedar  in  Lebanon,  of  beautiful  branches,  and 
giving  thick  shade,  and  lofty  of  stature,  and  his  top  was  amoiig 

4  thick  boughs.  The  waters  made  him  great,  the  abyss  made 
him  high,  flowing  with  its  streams  around  his  jilantation,  and 

5  sent  forth  its  rivulets  to  all  the  trees  of  the  field.  Therefore 
his  height  was  greater  than  all  the  trees  of  the  field,  and  his 
boughs  were  multiplied,  and  his  branches  became  long  because 

6  of  the  many  waters  which  he  sent  forth.  In  his  boughs  all  the 
fowls  of  heaven  made  their  nests,  and  under  his  branches  all  the 
beasts  of  the  field  brought  forth  their  young,  and  in  his  shadow 

7  dwelt  all  great  nations.  And  he  was  beautiful  in  his  greatness, 
in  the  length  of  his  branches,  because    his  root  was  towards 

8  many  waters.  The  cedars  in  the  garden  of  God  did  not  hide 
him,  the  cypresses  were  not  comparable  to  his  boughs,  and  the 
plane-trees  were  not  as  his  branches ;  no  tree  in  the  garden  of 

9  God  was  comparable  to  him  in  his  beauty.  I  made  him  beauti- 
ful in  the  largeness  of  his  branches,  and  all  the  trees  of  Eden 

10  envied  him,  which  were  in  the  garden  of  God.  Therefore  thus 
saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Because  thou  wast  so  high  in  stature, 
and  he  set  his  top  among  the  thick  boughs,  and  his  heart  was 

juniper,  the  nature  of  the  case  before  us  the  Tigris  with  its  branches  and  canals, 

absolutely   requires.     No   tree   is   more  which   irrigated   the   Assyrian   empire, 

remark.nble  for   the  magnificence  of  its  They  are   parabolically  represented   as 

appearance,  and  no   object  could   have  supplying  nourishment  to  its  roots,  since 

been  more  appropriately  selected  to  set  they  afforded  protection  to  all  the  sur- 

forth  the  surpassing  glory  of  the  king  of  rounding  countries. 

Assyria,  than  the  cedar  of  Lebanon.     It  8,  9.  As  in   his   portraiture  of  Tyre, 

is  generally  from  fifty  to  eighty  feet  high,  the  prophet  had  recourse  to  the  garden 

and  the  diameter  of  the  space  covered  of  Eden,  than  which  nothing  surpassing 

by  its  branches  is  much  greater  than  its  was  to   be  conceived,  so   he  represents 

height.     No  tree  equals   it  in  tallness,  the  monarch  of  Nineveh  as   so  greatly 

symmetry,  and   bulk.     Such   had  been  excelling  the  goodliest  of  its  trees,  that 

the   mighty   monarch  of  the   Assyrian  they  might  be  said  to  have  envied  him. 

empire,  that  none  of  the  great  ones  of  The  irony  here  is  the  keenest  imagin- 

the  earth  could  for  a  moment  compare  able. 

with  him.  10.  Ezekiel  would  seem  here  to  have 

3-7.  The  reference  being  to  Assyria,  fallen  out  of  his  parable,  and  by  antici- 

there  is  no  necessity,  with  Michaelis,  to  pation  to  have  applied  it  to  the  king  of 

cast  about  in  search  of  rivers  on  mount  Egypt ;  bixt  the  change  of  person  may 

Lebanon  corresponding  to  the  description  be  accounted  for  by  his  having  mentioned 

here  given.     Assuredly  there  is  nothing  him   at  verse  2,  and  his   keeping  him 

deserving  the  name  of  fiiinn  ,  abijss,  to  prominently  in  his  eye,  though  the  direct 

be  found  there.     The  language  is  ap-  application  of  the  parable  was  reserved 

propriately  descriptive  of  the  waters  of  for  verse  18. 


Chap.  XXXI.  11-18.]  EZEKIEL.  165 

11  lifted  up  in  his  height:  Therefore  I  have  delivered  him  into  the 
hand  of  a  mighty  one  of  the  nations ;    he  shall  assuredly  deal 

12  with  him;  according  to  his  wickedness  I  drove  him  out:  And 
strangers,  the  terrible  ones  of  the  nations,  shall  cut  him  off,  and 
thrust  him  forth ;  on  the  mountains  and  in  all  the  valleys  his 
branches  shall  fall,  and  his  boughs  shall  be  broken  in  all  the 
channels  of  the  earth ;  and  all  the  peoples  of  the  earth  shall 

13  come  down  from  his  shadow,  when  they  thrust  him  forth.  On 
his  fallen  mass  all  the  fowls  of  heaven  shall  dwell,  and  upon  his 

14  branches  shall  be  all  the  beasts  of  the  field.  In  order  that  none 
of  all  the  trees  by  the  waters  may  exalt  themselves  in  their 
growth,  nor  shoot  up  their  top  among  the  thick  boughs,  and 
that  none  that  drink  water  may  remain  beside  them  in  their 
height,  for  all  of  them  are  delivered  over  to  death  beneath  the 
earth,  among  the  sons  of  men  who  have  gone  down  to  the  pit. 

15  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  On  the  day  of  his  descent  into 
Sheol,  I  will  cause  mourning :  on  his  account,  I  will  cover  the 
abyss,  and  withhold  its  rivers,  and  great  waters  shall  be  re- 
strained ;  and  I  will  cause  Lebanon  to  mourn  for  him,  and  all 

16  the  trees  of  the  field  shall  be  covered  with  darkness.  At  the 
sound  of  his  fall  I  made  the  nations  to  shake,  when  I  brought 
him  down  into  Sheol,  with  them  that  go  down  to  the  pit,  and 
all  the  trees  of  Eden,  the  choicest  and  best  of  Lebanon,  all  that 
drink  water  shall  console  themselves  in  the  nether  parts  of  the 

17  earth.  They  also  shall  descend  with  him  into  Sheol,  to  the 
slain  with  the  sword ;  and  his  arm  that  dwelt  in  his  shadow  in 

18  the  midst  of  the  nations.  Whom  art  thou  thus  like  in  glory, 
and  in  greatness,  among  the  trees  of  Eden  ?  yet  shalt  thou  be 

11-17.  It   makes  no  difference   as  to  the  fall  of  Nineveh  is  I'cpresentecl  as  so 

the  sense,  whether  we  read  5X  or  P'^H  :  tremendous   that   the  nations  shook  to 

both  signify  a  mighti/  or  strong  one.     For  their  centre ;  and  all  the  chief  princes 

'13'Tl.""i2l    upwards   of  fifty-eight   codices  of  the  earth  that  had  been  her  auxiliaries, 

and  several  of  the  older  and  many  other  together  with  those  in  inferior  stations 

editions  read    12>'i!'^3 ,   which    has    the  who  had  enjoyed   her   protection,   are 

support  of  the  Syriac  and  Vulgate  ver-  presented  to  our  view  as  descending  into 

sions.     The  Assyrian   monarch,  whose  Hades,  the  common   receptacle  of  the 

fall  is  here  so  graphically  described,  was  dead.     Comp.  Isa.  xiv.  9-11. 
Sardanapalus.     The   subversion  of  his         18.  Ezekiel  now  directly  applies   his 

mighty  empire  Avas  so  complete,  that  it  sublime  parable,  showing  that  though  the 

might  well  be  appealed  to  as  an  example  figurative  description  set  forth  the  mag- 

from  which  all  other  nations  might  take  nificence  and  ruin  of  the  king  of  Assyria, 

warning.     It  should  occasion  universal  the  prophet  had  in  his  eye  the  Egyptian 

lamentation.     The   crash  produced  by  monarch,  whom  a  similar  fate  awaited. 


166  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  [Chap.  XXXII.  2-8. 

brought  down  with  the  trees  of  Eden  to  the  nether  parts  of  the 
earth :  in  tlie  midst  of  the  uncircumcised  thou  shalt  lie  with  the 
slain  by  the  sword :  this  is  Pharaoh  and  all  his  multitude,  saith 
the  Lord  Jehovah. 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

The  prophet,  not  satisfied  with  depicting  in  language  of  surpassing  force  and  elegance  the 
pride  and  downfall  of  Egypt,  as  shadowed  forth  by  those  of  the  Assyrian  empire,  now 
presents  the  same  subject  in  a  different  form.  The  chapter  consists  of  two  parts :  the  first, 
comprising  verses  1-16,  contains  another  prophetic  ode,  in  which,  under  the  bold  images 
of  a  lion  and  a  crocodile  tliat  had  committed  awful  devastation  among  the  nations,  but 
which  had  been  taken  and  slain,  the  prowess  and  downfall  of  the  monarch  of  the  Nile 
are  strikingly  exhibited.  In  the  remainder  of  the  chapter,  verses  17-82,  Pharaoh  and 
the  mighty  heads  of  the  nations  that  had  fallen  in  war  are  presented  to  view  in  the 
unseen  world,  each  in  his  gloomy  mansion,  all  combining  to  augment  the  terror  which 
the  fate  of  Pharaoh  was  calculated  to  inspire. 

1  And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  twelfth  year,  in  the  twelfth  month,  on 

the  first  of  the  month,  that  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me, 

2  saying:  Son  of  man,  take  up  a  lamentation  for  Pharaoh,  king 
of  Egypt,  and  say  to  him  :  Thou  art  like  a  young  lion  of  the 
nations,  and  as  a  sea-monster  in  the  seas,  and  thou  didst  break 
forth  in  thy  rivers,  and  puddle  the  waters  with  thy  feet,  and 

3  trample  their  rivers.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  I  will 
spread  my  net  over  thee  in  the  collection  of  many  peoples,  and 

4  they  sliall  draw  thee  up  in  my  net.  And  I  will  dash  thee 
on  the  ground,  and  cast  thee  headlong  in  the  open  field,  and 
will  make  all  the  fowls  of  heaven  to  settle  ujion  thee,  and  will 

5  satiate  the  wild  beasts  of  the  whole  earth  with  thee.  And  I 
will  lay  thy  flesh  upon  the  mountains,  and  fill  the  valleys  with 

6  thy  height.  And  I  will  saturate  the  land  to  the  mountains  with 
the  inundation  of  thy  blood,  and  they  shall  fill  the  channels 

7  with  thee.  And  in  extinguishing  thee  I  will  cover  the  heavens, 
and  make  the  ^tars  thereof  dark ;  I  will  cover  the  sun  with  a 

2.  It  was  usual  Avith  the  Orientals  to  of  Ejjj^pt  by  the  Chaldeans.     Compare 

compare  a  king  to  the  lion  ;  in  addition  chap.  xxix.  3,  4.     fi^^'^  is  properly  ren- 

to  which,  Pharaoh  is  here  compared  to  dercd  hehjht  in  the  common  version,  and 

the  crocodile,  the  most  formidable  marine  is  descriptive  of  the  immense  size  of  the 

monster  in  tlie  Nile.  crocodile,   viewed   as   reaching  up   the 

3-6.  The  scene  of  the  capture  of  the  sides  of  the  valleys, 

crocodile,  by  a  multitude  of  people  as-  7,  8.  Here   the  imageiy  is  borrowed 

semblcd  on  the  bank  of  the  river,  graph-  from  the  extinguishing  of  the  luminaries 

ically  represents  the  seizure  of  the  king  of  heaven.    1^33  signifies  to  go  out  or  be 


Chap.  XXXII.  8-20.]  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  167 

8  cloud,  and  the  moon  shall  not  give  her  light.  All  the  shining 
lights  of  the  heavens  I  will  clothe  with  blackness,  on  thy  account, 

9  and  make  it  dark  over  thy  land,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah.  And 
I  will  trouble  the  heart  of  many  peoples  when  I  bring  thy 
breach  among  the  nations  in   lands  which  thou   knewest  not. 

10  And  I  will  cause  many  people  to  be  amazed  at  thee,  and  their 
kings  shall  be  violently  agitated  at  thee,  when  I  brandish  my 
sword  in  their  sight,  and  they  shall  tremble  every  moment,  each 

11  for  his  own  life  in  the  day  of  thy  fall.  For  thus  saith  the  Lord 
Jehovah ;  The  sword  of  the  king  of  Babylon  shall  come  upon 

12  thee.  By  the  swords  of  heroes  I  will  cause  thy  multitude  to 
fall,  all  of  them  the  terrible  of  the  nations ;  and  they  shall 
destroy   the   pride   of  Egypt,   and  all   her  multitude   shall   be 

13  destroyed.  And  I  will  destroy  all  her  cattle  from  the  many 
waters,  and  the  foot  of  man  shall  not  puddle  them  any  more, 

14  neither  shall  the  hoofs  of  cattle  puddle  them.  Then  I  will  cause 
their  waters  to  subside,  and  make  their  rivers  to  flow  like  oil, 

15  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah.  When  I  make  the  land  of  Egypt 
desolate,  and  the  land  is  laid  waste  of  her  fulness,  when  I  smite 
all   the   inhabitants  therein,  then   they  shall  know  that  I  am 

16  Jehovah.  It  is  a  lamentation,  and  the  daughters  of  the  nations 
shall  utter  it,  they  shall  utter  it,  for  Egypt  and  all  her  multitude 
they  shall  utter  it,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah. 

17  And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  twelfth  month,  on  the  fifteenth  of  the 

18  month,  that  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying:  Son 
of  man,  wail  for  the  multitude  of  Egypt,  and  cause  her  and  the 
daughters  of  splendid  nations  to  descend  to  the  nether  parts  of 

19  the  earth,  with  those  who  go  down  to  the  pit.  By  whom  wast 
thou    surpassed   in    beauty?    descend,  and  lie  with   the  uncir- 

20  cumcised.  In  the  midst  of  the  slain  with  the  sword  they  shall 
fall :  she  is  delivered  to  the  sword :  drag  her  along  and  all  her 

queixched.     The  consequence  of  the  dis-  entirely  cease,  so   that  there  would  be 

appearanceof  Pharaoh  from  the  political  nothing  to  disturb  the  peaceful  flow  of 

horizon  would  be  universal  gloom.  the  Nile. 

9,  10.  The  report  carried  among  the  16.   Females    were    distinguished    as 

nations  by  the  scattered  Egyptians  would  mourners  among  the  Egyptians,  as  they 

be  productive  of  the  greatest  constcrna-  still  arc  in  the  East.     To   this  custom 

tion.  the  prophet  has  been  here  supposed  to 

12.  The  magnificent  ruins  of  the  eel-  allude ;  but  by  ni33 ,  damjhters,  I  should 

ebrated   temples    and   cities   of    Egypt  rather  suppose   he  means  cities,  as  PS 

testify  to  this   day  to  the  fulfilment  of  ^^^,  dan  i/hter  of  Babel, 't'^'i^'^  r^,daugh- 

the  prophecy.  ter  of  Zklon. 

13,14.  Commerce  and  pasturing  should  17-20.  The  number  of  the  month  is 


168  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  [Chap.  XXXII.  20-32. 

21  multitudes.  The  strongest  of  hei'oes  shall  speak  with  him  from 
the  midst  of  Sheol,  with  those  who  helped  him ;  they  shall 
descend,  they  shall  lie  down,  the  uncircumcised,  slain  with  the 

22  sword.  There  is  Assyria  and  all  her  company ;  round  about 
him  are  his  graves ;  all  of  them  slain,  the  fallen  by  the  sword ; 

23  Who  have  placed  their  graves  in  the  sides  of  the  pit,  and  her 
company  is  round  her  grave,  all  of  them  slain,  follen  by  the 

24  sword,  who  caused  their  terror  in  the  land  of  the  living.  There 
is  Elam  and  all  her  multitude  around  her  grave,  all  of  them 
slain  who  had  fallen  by  the  sword,  that  have  descended  uncir- 
cumcised to  the  lowest  parts  of  the  earth,  that  caused  their 
terror  in  the  land  of  the  living ;  and  bear  their  reproach  with 

25  those  who  go  down  to  the  pit.  In  the  midst  of  the  slain  have 
they  placed  a  bed  for  her,  with  all  her  multitude ;  her  graves 
are  round  about  him ;  all  of  them  uncircumcised,  slain  by  the 
sword  ;  though  they  caused  their  terror  in  the  land  of  the  living, 
they  also  bear  their  reproach  with  those  who  go  down  to  the 

26  pit;  they  are  placed  in  the  midst  of  the  slain.  There  is  Meshech, 
Tubal,  and  all  her  multitude,  her  graves  are  round  about  him ; 
all  of  them  uncircumcised,  pierced  by  the  sword,  though  they 

27  caused  their  terror  in  the  laud  of  the  living.  Shall  they  not  lie 
with  heroes  that  have  fallen,  of  the  uncircumcised  who  have 
gone  down  to  Sheol,  with  their  weapons  of  war  ?  and  their 
swoi'ds  were  laid  under  their  heads ;  and  their  iniquities  on 
their  bones,  though  they  were  the  terror  of  heroes  in  the  land 

here  omitted,  but  it  is  generally  allowed  21-32.  The  change  in  the  gender  of 

to  have  been  the  twelfth,  and  that  the  the  pronouns,  in  these  and  some  other 

command  was  given  fourteen  days  after  parts  of  the  prophecy,  has   been  satis- 

the  preceding  vision.     Ezekiel  is   here  factorily  accounted  for  on  the  principle 

charged  to  compose  a  funereal  dirge,  to  that  now  the  prophet  has  the  monarch 

be  sung  at  the  interment  of  Egypt,  which  in  his  ej-c,  and  now  the  nation,  —  a  cir- 

in   common  with   the   most  celebrated  cumstance  which    is    not    without   its 

nations  of  antiquity  was  to  be  laid  low  parallels   in   Hebrew  composition.     To 

in  Sheol.     The  prophet  is  commanded  aggravate  the  condition  of  Pharaoh  in 

to  do  what  he  was  to  predict  should  be  Sheol,  the  representatives  of  the  prin- 

done,  ver.  18.     How  cutting  the  ironical  cipal   nations  of  antiquity  with   which 

interrogation  :    "  By  whom   wast   thou  the  Jews  were  brought  into  contact  are 

surpassed  in  beauty?"  The  humiliation  enumerated  as  each  occupying  his  ap- 

should  be  complete.     "  Down  into  the  propriate  niche,  but  principally  Assyria 

region  of  the  shades !     There  thou  wilt  surrounded  by  the  slain  of  his  people, 

find  befitting  companions  who  will  ad-  For  him  is  allotted  the  remotest  comer 

dress  thee,  not  in  the  language  of  com-  of  the  dark  abode.     Elam,  which  formed 

_  miseration,  but  in  that  of  taunt."    Comp.  partoftheancientPersian empire,  follows 

Isa.  xiv.  9,  10.  next  iu  succession,  that  people  having 


Chap.  XXXII.  26-32.] 


EZEKIEL. 


169 


28  of  the  living.  Thou  also  shalt  be  broken  in  the  midst  of  the 
uncircumcised,  and  thou  shalt  lie  Avith  the  slain  by  the  sword. 

29  There  is  Edom,  her  kings,  and  all  her  princes,  who  notwith- 
standing their  might  are  laid  with  the  slain  by  the  sword :  they 
lie  with  the  uncircumcised  and  with  those  who  descend  to  the 

30  pit.  There  are  the  anointed  of  the  north,  all  of  them,  and  all 
the  Zidonians,  who  have  descended  with  tlie  slain  notwithstand- 
ing their  terror,  ashamed  of  their  might ;  they  also  shall  lie 
uncircumcised  with  the  slain  by  the  sword ;  and  they  shall  bear 

31  their  reproach  with  those  who  go  down  to  the  pit.  Then  shall 
Pharaoh  behold  ;  he  shall  be  comforted  for  all  his  multitvide,  slain 
with  the  sword,  Pharaoh  and  all  his  host,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah. 

32  Surely  I  set  my  terror  in  the  land  of  the  living,  and  he  shall  be 
laid  in  the  midst  of  the  uncircumcised,  with  the  slain  by  the 
sword,  Pharaoh  and  all  his  multitude,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah. 


been  mighty  warriors,  and  specially 
distinguished  as  bowmen,  Isa.  xxii.  6. 
Their  destruction  by  Nebuchadnezzar 
was  predicted  by  Jeremiah,  xlix.  34-38. 
26,  28.  The  northern  Asiatic  nations 
are  introduced,  to  show  that  they  were 
not  to  be  exempted  from  the  general 
destruction.  With  Hiivernick  and  Fair- 
bairn  I  understand  the  negative  at  the 
beginning  of  ver.  27,  interrogatively  — 
"  shall  they  not  lie  ?  "  otherwise  there 
would  be  no  consistency  between  this 
and  the  following  verses.  There  is  here 
an  allusion  to  the  custom  of  the  ancients, 
whereby  they  interred  along  with  dis- 
tinguished warriors,  the  armor  they 
had  worn  (Diod.  Sic.  lib.  18).  Though 
honored  in  Sheol  with  their  swords  under 
their  heads,  it  told  to  their  disgrace, 
because  of  the  terror  which  they  had 
spread  by  their  savage  incursions  into 
more  southern  regions. 

29.  Idumea  was  governed  not  only 
by  kings,  but  also  by  C^X"'b3 ,  princes, 
who  exercised  a  subordinate  authority 
in  separate  provinces.  They  were  the 
indomitable  enemies  of  the  Jews.  For 
specific  prophecies  against  that  country, 
see  Isa.  xxxiv.  5, 10-17 ;  Jer.  xlix.  13-18. 
Dr'n*1355 ,  notirithstandlnfj  their  might. 
3  ,  nonobstantr'.  See  Isa.  xlvii.  9. 
'  30.  The  liS:j  ^3"'03 ,  princes  of  the 
15 


north,  as  distinguished  from  the  other 
potentates,  and  occurring  as  they  here 
do  in  connection  with  the  Zidonians, 
must  be   taken  as   signifying   those  of 

Damascus,  Syria,  Ilamath,  etc.     (•Lwj 

Shain,  the  name  by  which  Syria  is  still 
known  among  the  Arabs,  properly  sig- 
nifies the  country  on  the  left  hand,  or 
the  north,  as  Yemen  does  the  south. 
These  were  also  to  be  destroyed  by 
Nebuchadnezzar,  previous  to  his  conquest 
of  Egypt.  The  prophet  beholds  them 
in  Sheol,  ashamed  of  their  heroism  which 
had  spread  terror  among  their  con- 
temporaries. 

31,  32.  Finally,  Pharaoh  himself  is 
introduced  into  the  scene  as  consoling 
himself  over  his  own  destruction  and 
that  of  his  vast  populatiom  with  the 
thought,  that  they  were  not  the  only 
sufferers,  but  had  merely  shared  the 
fate  of  many  other  kings  and  nations. 
This  of  course  is  the  language  of  irony. 
He  should  experience,  that  however 
great  might  have  been  the  terror  inspired 
by  their  murderous  deeds  of  war,  that 
which  was  to  be  expected  from  the 
inflictions  of  Jehovah  would  far  exceed 
it.  For  in'^nn  ,  his  terror,  the  Keri  has 
the  reading,  '^n'^nn ,  nvj  terror,  which 
better  suits  the  connection. 


270  EZEKIEL.  fCHAP.  XXXIII.  1-20. 


CHAPTER    XXXIII. 

Ezekiel,  having  reviewed  the  hostile  nations  around  and  predicted  their  downfall,  returns 
now  to  his  own  people.  The  first  nine  versos  contain  little  else  than  a  repetition  of 
chap.  iii.  17-21.  They  set  forth  in  solemn  and  awful  language  the  duty  of  a  watchman, 
and  are  highly  deserving  of  the  serious  and  constant  consideration  of  all  Christian 
teachers.  Tlio  prophet  is  then  instructed  what  reply  to  give  to  the  impious  cavils  of  his 
unhelieving  countrymen,  and  how  to  vindicate  the  impartiality  cf  the  divine  conduct 
in  punishing  them,  10-20.  This  he  gives  in  language  for  the  most  part  parallel  to  that 
employed  chap,  xviii.,  where  the  same  subject  is  treated  of.  The  jirophot,  having  re- 
ceived information  of  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  proceeds  to  announce  that  the  whole 
country  of  Israel  should  be  involved  in  the  calamity,  21-29.  Before  closing  he  is  charged 
to  deliver  a  solemn  message  to  such  Jev.'s  as  professedly  took  delight  in  listening  to  his 
words,  but  refused  to  comply  with  their  requirements,  30-33. 

1  Again  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying :  Son  of  man, 

2  speak  to  the  children  of  thy  people,  and  say  unto  them :  When 
I  bring  a  sword  upon  a  land,  and  the  people  of  the  land  take  a 

3  man  of  their  coasts,  and  appoint  him  for  their  watchman  ;  And 
he  seeth  the  sword  coming  against  the  land,  and  bloweth  the 

4  trumpet,  and  warneth  the  people  :  Then  whosoever  heareth  the 
sound  of  the  trumpet,  and  taketh  not  warning,  and  the  sword 
shall  come  and  take  him  away,  his  blood  shall  be  on  his  own 

5  head.  He  heard  the  sound  of  the  trumpet,  but  took  not  warn- 
ing ;  his  blood  shall  be  upon  him ;  but  he  that  taketh  warning 

6  delivereth  his  soul.  But  the  watchman  who  shall  see  the  sword 
come,  and  shall  not  blow  the  trumpet,  and  the  people  is  not 
warned,  and  the  sword  shall  come  and  shall  take  away  a  person 
from  them,  he  shall  be  taken  away  in  his  iniquity  ;  but  his  blood 

7  will  I  require  at  the  watchman's  hand.  So  thou,  Son  of  man,  I 
have  set  thee  a  watchman  to  the  house  of  Israel ;  hear  therefore 

8  the  word  from  my  mouth  and  warn  them  from  me.  When  I 
say  to  the  wicked :  O  wicked  man,  thou  shalt  surely  die ;  and 
thou  speakest  not  to  warn  the  wicked  from  his  way,  that  wicked 
one  shall  die  in  his  iniquity ;  but  his  blood  will  I  require  at  thy 

9  hand.  And  thou,  when  thou  warnest  the  wicked  of  his  way  to 
turn  him  from  it,  and  he  turneth  not  from  his  way,  he  shall  die 

1-6.   It    was    customary   to    have   a  2.    Dfl'^Sp.     This   form   is   only   ap- 

watchman   stationed  on   a  tower  or  a  parcntly   plural,    there    being  no   such 

mountain,  whence  he  could  command  an  absolute  as  D"^^i5  to  which  to  refer  the 

extensive  view,  so  that,  when  the  country  word. 

was  threatened  with  invasion,  he  might  7-20.  An  application  of  the  reference 

by   blowing   a   trumpet    or   lighting   a  to  the  watchman  to  the  prophet's  own 

beacon  give  timely  warning.     Compare  case.     His   appointment,  however,  was 

Isa.  xxi.  6-10;  Hab.  ii.  1.  much  more   solemn,  since  it   had  not 


Chap.  XXXIII.  20-21 .]  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  171 

10  in  his  iniquity,  but  thou  hast  deUvered  thy  soul.  And  thou,  sou 
of  man,  speak  to  the  house  of  Israel :  Thus  ye  speak,  saying : 
Surely  our  transgressions  and  our  sins  are  upon  us,  and  we  pine 

11  away  in  them  :  how  then  should  we  live  ?  Say  unto  them  :  As 
I  live,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death 
of  the  wicked,  but  rather  that  the  wicked  turn  from  his  way  and 
live ;  turn  ye,  turn  ye  from  your  wicked  ways,  for  why  will  ye 

12  die,  O  house  of  Israel?  And  thou,  son  of  man,  say  unto  the 
children  of  thy  people  :  The  righteousness  of  the  righteous  shall 
not  deliver  him  in  the  day  of  his  sin  ;  and  as  for  the  wickedness 
of  the  wicked,  he  shall  not  fall  by  it  in  the  day  of  his  turning 
from  his  wickedness  ;  and  as  for  the  righteous,  he  shall  not  be 

13  able  to  live  by  it  in  the  day  when  he  sinneth.  When  I  say  unto 
the  righteous,  he  shall  surely  live,  and  he  trusteth  in  his  right- 
eousness, and  committeth  iniquity,  all  his  righteousness  shall  not 
be  remembered,  but  he  shall  die  for  his  iniquity  which  he  hath 

14  committed.  And  when  I  say  to  the  wicked.  Thou  shalt  surely 
die,  and  he  turneth  from  his  sin,  and  doeth  that  which  is  just 

15  and  right :  If  the  wicked  restore  the  pledge,  make  good  that 
which  he  hath  robbed,  walk  in  the  statutes  of  life  without  com- 

16  mitting  iniquity,  he  shall  surely  live,  he  shall  not  die.  None  of 
all  his  sins  whicli  he  hath  committed  shall  be  mentioned  against 
him  :  he  hath  done  that  which  is  just  and  right ;  he  shall  surely 

17  live.     Yet  the  children  of  thy  people  say  :  The  way  of  the  Lord 

18  is  not  equal ;  but  as  for  them,  their  way  is  not  equal.  When  the 
righteous  turneth  from  his  righteousness,  and  committeth  iniquity, 

19  he  shall  die  thereby.  And  when  the  wicked  turneth  from  his 
wickedness,  and  doeth  that  which  is  just  and  right,  he  shall  live 

20  thereby.  Yet  ye  say :  The  way  of  the  Lord  is  not  equal :  I 
will  judge  you,  every  man  according  to  his  ways,  O  house  of 
Israel ! 

21  And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  twelfth  year  of  our  captivity,  in  the 

tenth  month,  on  the  fifth  of  the  month,  that  one  who  had  escaped 

been  derived  from  the  people,  but  from  takcnplace(comp.  Jcr.xxxix.  2;  lii.5,G), 

God.     To  him  he  was   responsible   for  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  person 

the  fidelity  with   which   he   discharged  who  conveyed   it,  may  not  have   been 

the  duties  of  his  prophetical  office.  specially  delegated  for  that  purpose,  or 

21.  Strange  as  it  may  at  first   sight  he  may  have  tarried  at  different  places 

appear,  that  the  intelligence  relative  to  on  the  road,  afraid  to  advance  into  the 

the   capture   of  Jerusalem   should   not  enemy's  country.     If,  with  eight  codices, 

have  reached  the  banks  of  the  Chebar  and  the  Syriac,  we  read  '^'!?'9?  ''k!'^^^  i 

till  a  year  and  a  half  after  the  event  had  in  the  eleventh,  the  communication  would 


172  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  [Chap.  XXXIH.  21-29. 

22  from  Jerusalem  came  to  me,  saying  :  The  city  is  smitten.  And 
the  hand  of  Jehovah  was  upon  me  in  the  evening  before  he  that 
had  escaped  came ;  and  he  opened  my  mouth  until  he  came  to 
me  in  the  morning ;  yea,  he  opened  my  mouth,  and  I  was  no 
no  longer  dumb. 

23  And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying :  Son  of  man,  the 

24  inhabitants  of  those  wastes  of  the  land  of  Israel  speak,  saying: 
Abraham  was  one,  and  he  inherited  the  land,  but  we  are  many, 

25  the  land  is  given  to  us  for  an  inheritance.  Wherefore  speak 
unto  them :  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Ye  eat  with  the 
blood,  and  lift  up  your  eyes  to  your  idols,  and  shed  blood  ;  and 

26  ye  would  inherit  the  land !  Ye  stand  upon  your  sword,  ye 
commit  abomination,  and  each  defileth  the  wife  of  his  neighbor ; 

27  yet  ye  would  inherit  the  land !  Thus  shalt  thou  say  unto  them : 
Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  As  I  live,  those  who  fall  by  the 
sword  in  the  wastes,  and  those  who  are  in  the  open  field,  I  will 
give  to  the  wild  beast  for  food,  and  those  who  are  in  the  strong- 

28  holds  and  in  the  caves  shall  die  of  pestilence.  And  I  will  make 
the  land  desolate  and  waste,  and  the  pride  of  her  strength  shall 
cease,  and  the  mountains  of  Israel  shall  be  desolate  without  any 

29  one  passing  through.  And  they  shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah, 
when  I  make  the  land  desolate  and  waste  for  all  the  abominations 

have  reached  Ezckiel   in  less   than  six  inheritance   in  virtue  of  their   relation 

months  after  the  event  happened.     This  to  Abraham.     They  maintain  that  the 

change  in  the  text,  however,  may  have  grant  was  not  made  for  his  sole  use,  but 

originated  in  a  desire  to  lessen  the  dif-  for  that  of  his  numerous  posterity,  and 

ficulty.     At  all  events  we  may  notice,  that   therefore   they,  as  left   behind   in 

that  we  have  no  recorded  prophecy  of  the  countr}^,  had  a  right  to  the  enjoyment 

Ezekiel  dating  at  any  period  within  the  of  it. 

year  and  a  half  intervening  between  the  25-29.  On  the  ground  of  their  wicked 

end  of  the  siege  and  the  period  assigned  character,  Ezekiel  utterly  rcjnidiatcs  the 

in  the  common  version  for  the  announce-  legitimacyof  their  claim.    Cll^'bsJ  ?3N  , 

ment  of  it  to  the  exiles.  to  eat  with  the  blood,  means  to  eat  flesh 

22.  The  prophet  is  particular  in  speci-  that  had  not  been  separated  from  the 
fying  the  time  when  he  received  the  blood,  which  was  contrary  to  the  law 
following  communication,  thereby  inti-  (Levit.  xix.  26).  The  preposition  has 
mating  that  he  was  not  indebted  for  it  here  the  idea  of  accompaniment,  as 
to  the  arrival  of  him  who  had  escaped  D"'5a"?y  BX ,  the  mother  with  the  children, 
from  Jerusalem,  but  that  it  had  been  (Gen.xxxii.  12).  Michaelis  is  of  opinion 
made  to  him  directly  from  heaven,  that  there  is  here  a  reference  to  the 
^"'c^D  marks  definitely  the  individual  drinking  of  blood  as  an  act  of  idolatrous 
who  had  brought  the  intelligence.  worship,  a  custom  very  common  in  Asia. 

23,  24.  The  Israelites  who  had  been  The  construction  put  upon  the  phrase 
left  amid  the  desolations  of  the  land,  are  by  Spencer  (De  Legg.  Heb.  ii.  11), 
introduced  as  laying  claim  to  it  as  their    making  it  to  refer  to  the  eating  of  the 


Chap.  XXXIII.  26-33.] 


EZEKIEL. 


173 


30  they  have  committed.  But  thou,  son  of  man,  the  children  of  thy 
people  are  talking  of  thee  by  the  walls  and  in  the  porches  of  the 
houses,  and  speak  one  to  another,  and  each  to  his  brother,  saying: 
Come  now,  and  hear  what  is  the  word  that  cometh  forth  from 

31  Jehovah.  Yea,  they  come  to  thee  as  the  people  come,  and  sit 
before  thee  as  my  people,  and  they  hear  thy  words,  but  will  not 
do  them ;  for  they  make  loves  with  their  mouth,  but  their  heart 

32  goeth  after  their  covetousness.  And,  behold,  thou  art  to  them 
as  a  song  of  loves  of  one  who  has  a  sweet  voice,  and  playeth 
well    upon  an  instrument.     But  they  hear  thy  words,  but  do 

33  them  not.  And  when  it  cometh,  behold  it  cometh,  then  shall 
they  know  that  a  prophet  hath  been  among  them. 


blood  of  animals  slain  in  connection 
with  magical  rites,  is  entirely  groundless. 

26.  ??  ^"OV  ,  to  stand  upon,  is  a  phrase 
signifying  here  to  depend  upon  the 
sword  as  a  means  of  defence.  It  is 
declared  in  the  following  verse,  that  the 
very  object  of  their  confidence  should 
become  the  instrument  of  their  destruc- 
tion. 

30-33.  Instead  of  seriously  laying  to 
heart  the  words  of  the  Lord,  delivered 
by  his  servant  the  prophet,  the  Jews  on 
the  Chebar  made  him  the  object  of 
merriment  and  derision.  While  pi'e- 
tending  to  be  deeply  affected  by  his 
messages,  and  encouraging  each  other 
to  listen  to  them,  their  hearts  were  as 
completely  as  ever  estranged  from  their 
covenant  God.  3  "i?"!  ,  signifies  here  to 
15* 


speak  concerning,  and  not  against,  as  it  is 
rendered  in  the  common  version.  "T^TU 
C'SJ?.  J  a  song  of  loves,  i.e.  as  Gcsenius 
rightly  interprets,  an  erotic  song,  pleas- 
ing to  the  people.  They  professed  to  be 
highly  delighted  with  the  prophetic  dis- 
courses both  as  to  matter  and  delivery, 
but  it  was  all  hypocrisy.  2."3^ ,  to  know, 
ver.  33,  means  here  to  know  experimen- 
tally. Ezekiel  finally  assures  the  Jews, 
that  the  event  would  fully  prove  the 
legitimacy  of  his  prophetic  claims.  His 
predictions  should  be  realized  in  their 
woful  experience.  When  the  fugitive 
arrived  the  following  morning  with  the 
intelligence  that  Jerusalem  had  been 
taken,  there  remained  no  hope  of  the 
escape  of  the  captive  Jews  from  the 
power  of  the  conqueror. 


174  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  [Chap.  XXXIV.  1-10. 


CHAPTER   XXXIY. 

This  chapter  contains  a  severe  reprehension  of  the  rulers  of  Israel,  to  whose  selfish  and 
cruel  conduct  the  destruction  of  the  state  was  ultimately  to  be  traced,  1-10;  a  promise 
of  divine  interposition  in  behalf  of  the  people,  11-19;  the  rejection  and  punishment  of 
their  oppressors,  20-22 ;  a  renevral  of  the  promise  cf  the  Messiah,  and  the  happy  security 
of  the  subjects  of  his  reign,  23-31. 

1  And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying :  Son  of  man, 

2  prophesy  against  the  shepherds  of  Israel,  prophesy  and  say 
unto  them :  For  the  shepherds,  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah. 
AVoe  to  the  shepherds  of  Israel,  who  are  feeding  themselves. 

3  Should  not  the  shepherds  feed  the  sheep  ?  Ye  partake  of  the 
milk,  and  ye  put  on  the  wool ;  ye  kill  the  fatlings ;  ye  feed  not 

4  the  sheep :  The  weak  ye  have  not  strengthened,  neither  have 
ye  healed  the  sick,  nor  bound  up  that  which  was  broken,  and 
that  which  wag  driven  away  ye  have  not  brought  back,  and  that 
which  was  lost  ye  have  not  sought  for ;  but  with  harshness  and 

5  with  rigor  ye  have  ruled  them.  And  they  have  been  scattered 
without  a  shepherd,   and   have  become   food  for  all   the  wild 

6  beasts  of  the  field,  when  they  were  scattered.  My  sheep  have 
wandered  through  all  the  mountains,  and  on  every  high  hill ; 
yea,  my  sheep  were  scattered  over  the  whole  face  of  the  earth, 
and  no  one  sought  them  or  searched  them  out. 

7  Wherefore,  ye  shepherds,  hear  the  word  of  Jehovah.     As  I  live, 

8  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  surely  because  my  sheep  have  become 

2.  i^?"! »  properly  denotes  a  shepherd,  1  "       ^  .     A\  A  -r\     ^    ,  , 

1.  :^         1  •,      r      u-      ^^JLa.,    Eth.  Ill/i.'l  1)  Both  read- 

one  who   guards  and  provides  lor   his     w**'— » i 

flock,  and    tropically  a  prince  or  Jci»(j.  inus  arc  appropriate;  but  the  latter  seems 

The  language  here  is  not,  therefore,  to  preferable.     LXX.,  rh  yd\a.     Compare 

be  interpreted   of    ecclesiastical   rulers  1  Cor.  ix.  7. 

or  teachers,  but  of  the  civil  governors  4.  Careful  shepherds   treat  with  ten- 

of  the  Jewish  state,  who,  regardless  of  derness  the  sickly  and  diseased  of  their 

the  welfare  and  prosperity  of  their  people,  flock,  but   these  Jewish   rulers   treated 

only  acted   from   respect   to   their  own  their  subjects  with  neglect  and  cruelty. 

selfish  interests,  forming  alliances  with  nvriitl ,  a  plural  feminine  participle  in 

foreign  powers,  or  provoking  their  ire,  Nijihal,  from  f^'n ,  to  he  sick,  wounded. 

according   as   they  were   prompted   by  Comp.  Isa.  xvii.  11,  and  the  synonyme 

ambitious  or  mercenary  motives.    Comp.  nsinri ,  in  the  text  before  us. 

2  Sam.  V.  2 ;  Isa.  xliv.  28  ;  Jer.  ii.  8  ;  iii.  5,  G.  These  verses  describe  the  miser- 

15;  X.  21;  xxiii.1,2.   Xenopli.  Cyropa;d.  able  condition  of  the  Jews  under  their 

viii.  2,  13.  wicked  kings  previous  to  the  captivity. 

3.  "^H!l ,  ;/ie /a?,  for  which  some  would  7-10.  However  these  kings  might 
point  ^^'7'^ '  ^''^  miJlc,  as  more  suitable  flatter  themselves  that  their  misdeeds 
to  the  connection.     Compare  the  Arab,  might  pass  with  impunity,  Jehovah  here 


Chap.  XXXIV.  10-17]  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  175 

a  prey  and  my  sheep  have  become  food  to  every  wild  beast  of 

the  field,  without  a  shepherd,  and    my  shepherds  inquire  not 

after  my  sheep,  but  the  shepherds  feed  themselves,  and  feed  not 

9       my  sheep :  Therefore  hear,  O  ye  shepherds,  the  word  of  Jeho- 

10  vah.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Behold,  I  am  against  the 
shepherds,  and  will  require  my  sheep  at  their  liand,  and  will 
make  them  to  cease  from  feeding  the  sheep ;  and  the  shepherds 
shall  not  feed  themselves  any  more,  for  I  will  deliver  my  sheep 
from  their  mouth,  and  they  shall   not  become  food   for  them. 

11  For  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah:    Behold  I,  even  I,  will  both 

12  search  for  my  sheeji  and  seek  them  out.  As  a  shepherd  seeketh 
out  his  flock  in  the  day  when  he  is  among  his  sheep  that  are 
scattered,  so  will  I  seek  out  my  sheep,  and  deliver  them  from 
all  places  whither  they  have  been  scattered  in  the  cloudy  and 

13  dark  day.  And  will  bring  them  out  from  the  peoples,  and 
gather  them  from  the  countries,  and  bring  them  unto  their  own 
land,  and  feed  them  upon  the  mountains  of  Lsrael,  by  the  brooks, 

14  and  in  all  the  inhabited  places  of  the  land.  In  a  good  pasture 
I  will  feed  them,  and  upon  the  high  mountains  of  Israel  shall 
be  their  fold,  there  shall  they  lie  down  in  a  good  fold,  and  shall 

15  feed  in  a  fat  pasture  on  the  mountains  of  Israel.  I  will  feed 
my  sheep,  and  I  will  cause  them  to  lie  down,  saith  the  Lord 

16  Jehovah.  I  will  search  out  that  which  is  lost,  and  I  will  bring 
back  that  which  is  driven  away,  and  will  bind  up  that  which  is 
broken,  and  will  strengthen  that  which  is  weak ;  but  the  fat 
and  the  strong  I  will  destroy,  and  will  feed  them  with  judgment. 

17  And  as  for  you,  O  my  sheep,  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah: 
Behold,  I   will  judge   between  sheep   and  sheep,  between   the 

18  rams  and  the  he-goats.  Is  it  a  small  matter  unto  you,  that  ye 
have  eaten  w-p  the  good  pasture,  but  ye  must  tread  under  your 
feet  what  remained  of  your  pastures  ?  and  that  ye  have  drunk 
of  the  deep  waters,  but   ye  must  trample  what  remains  with 

declares   that    ho  would  call   them    to  breed.    The  same  construction  is  adopted 

account    for     their    wickedness.      The  by  Ncwcome ;  but  it  does  not  suit  the 

judgments  denounced  against  them  took  connection  so  well  as  the  textual  reading. 

full  effect  when  Jerusalem  was  captured.  The  clause  is  obviously  adversative,  con- 

16.  For  "I'^p'ijX  ,  /  loill  (Icstroij,  two  of  taining  a  declaration  of  tlie  punishment 

DeRossi'sMSS.,theLXX.,  Syr.,  Arab.,  to  be  inflicted  on  the  harsh  and  selfish 

and  Vulg.,  read  "ilO'i'X  ,  I  ivill  preserve,  rulers  of  the  Jews. 

which  Luther  has  adopted  in  his  German         17.  Hbb  nb"'"'3  ,   between   sheep  and 

version,  and  Michaclis  explains  to  mean,  sheep,  means  between  one  class  of  citizens 

for  the  purpose  of  securing  an  excellent  and  another.     KS^^ ,  to  judge,  here  is  to 


176 


E  Z  E  K I E  L  , 


[Chap.  XXXIV.  18-31. 


19  your  feet  ?  And  my  sheep  eat  that  which  ye  have  trodden  with 
your  feet,  and  have  drunk  that  which  ye  have  trodden  with  your 

20  feet.  "Wherefore  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  unto  them: 
Behold  I,  even  I,  will  judge  between  the  fat  sheep  and  the  lean 

21  sheep.  Because  ye  have  thrust  with  side  and  with  shoulder, 
and  have  pushed  with  your  horns  all  the  diseased,  till  you  have 

22  scattered  them  abroad :  Therefore  I  will  save  my  sheep,  and 
they  shall  no  more  be  for  a  prey,  and  I  will  judge  between 

23  sheep  and  sheep.  And  I  will  set  one  shepherd  over  them,  and 
he  shall  feed  them,  my  servant  David :  he  shall  feed  them,  and 

24  he  shall  be  their  shepherd.  And  I  Jehovah  will  be  their  God, 
and  my  servant  David  shall  be  a  prince  among  them,  I  Jehovah 

25  have  spoken.  And  I  will  make  for  them  a  covenant  of  peace, 
and  will  cause  the  evil  beast  to  cease  from  the  land,  and  they 
shall  dwell  in  the  wilderness  securely,  and  sleej?  in  the  woods. 

26  And  I  will  make  them  and  the  places  around  my  hill  a  blessing; 
and  will  cause  the  shower  to  come  down  in  its  season ;  there 


discriminate  and   punish   according   to 
desert. 

18,  19.  Not  content  with  consuming 
the  best  of  the  possessions  of  their 
subjects,  the  wicked  rulers  wantonly 
spoiled  what  might  have  been  of  use  to 
them,  and  left  them  only  the  refuse. 

22.  The  salvation  of  the  better  part  of 
the  Jewish  nation  was  primarily  to  be 
effected  by  the  sifting  process  to  which 
they  were  to  be  subjected  in  Babylon. 
At  their  restoration,  they  should  be 
delivered  at  once  from  the  power  of  the 
heathen,  and  from  the  tyrannical  rule 
of  their  own  kings. 

23,  24.  1"'1.7  ^'^'^'J  rx ,  7j}y  servant 
David.  This  can  be  no  other  than  the 
often-promised  Messiah.  Compare  Ps. 
Ixxxix.  3  ;  Isa.  Iv.  3  ;  Jer.  xxx.  9  ;  Hos. 
iii.  5.  The  idea  adopted  by  Grotius, 
that  Zerubbabel  is  intended,  cannot  be 
entertained  for  a  moment.  That  prince 
was  merely  a  stadtholder  of  the  king  of 
Persia,  who  did  not  even  rule  alone,  but 
had  Joshua  the  high-priest  at  his  side. 
Neither  can  any  of  the  later  Jewish  kings 
be  meant,  for  they  were  not  of  the  family 
of  David.  The  shepherd  here  promised 
was  to  be  T7i<  f^^"l>  one  shepherd,  sin- 


gularly and  distinguishingly  one;  the 
only  one  of  his  kind.     Comp.  the  Arab. 

^V~^  I  -       unicus  et   incomparahilis ;   one 

whose  person  and  character  should  stand 
out  in  broad  distinction  from  all  others. 
There  cannot  be  a  doubt  that  our  Lord 
had  this  prophecy  in  his  eye,  John  x.  14 : 
/  am  the  good  shepherd.  X'^i^3 ,  in  the 
language  of  Ezekicl,  is  equivalent  to 
Icing.  See  chap  xxxii.  29.  The  Messiah 
was  tp>in ,  set  rip,  constituted  king  by 
divine  appointment  (Ps.ii.6;  Acts ii.  36); 
and  had  the  Jews  received  him,  and 
submitted  to  his  laws,  their  civil  polity 
would  have  been  preserved,  and  they 
would  have  enjoj-ed  every  necessary 
blessing  under  his  gracious  protection 
and  care.  Rejecting  him,  they  forfeited 
all  title  to  the  promises  here  made  to 
them. 

25-31 .  An  amplification  of  the  prom- 
ises just  made,  under  the  images  of 
outward  prosperity,  exemption  from  all 
annoyance  from  the  heathen,  and  from 
wild  beasts,  and  the  rich  enjoyment  of 
every  blessing  in  their  own  land,  of 
which  Mount  Zion  was  the  capital  and 
centre.     The  Jews  as  thus  restored  are 


Chap.  XXXIV.  25-31.] 


EZEKIEL. 


177 


27  shall  be  showers  of  blessing.  And  the  tree  of  the  field  shall 
yield  its  fruit,  and  the  earth  shall  yield  her  increase ;  and  they 
shall  be  secure  in  their  land,  and  shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah, 
when  I  break  the  bands  of  their  yoke,  and  deliver  them  from 

28  the  hand  of  those  who  serve  themselves  of  them.  And  they 
shall  no  more  be  a  prey  to  the  nations,  neither  shall  the  wild 
beast  of  the  land  devour  them ;  but  they  shall  dwell  securely, 

29  and  none  shall  make  them  afraid.  And  I  will  raise  up  for 
them  a  plant  of  renown,  and  they  shall  no  more  be  consumed 
with  hunger  in  the  land,  neither  shall  they  any  more  bear  the 

30  reproach  of  the  nations.  And  they  shall  know  that  I,  Jehovah 
their  God,  am  with  them,  and  that  they,  the  house  of  Israel,  are 

31  my  people,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah.  And  ye  my  sheep,  the 
sheep  of  my  pasture,  are  men ;  I  am  your  God,  saith  the  Lord 
Jehovah. 


represented  as  enjoying  the  blessings 
connected  witli  and  flowing  from  the 
sacred  spot,  but  which  were  not  to  be 
confined  to  that  locality,  but  were  to  be 
extended  to  other  parts  of  the  land. 
Comp.  verses  13,  14. 

29.  Ddb  y^'^,  a  plant  of  renown.  This 
passage  has  generally  been  interpreted 
of  the  Messiah,  and  viewed  as  parallel 
to  those  in  which  he  is  promised  under 
the  image  of  a  branch ;  and  to  this  in- 
terpretation I  adhere,  notwithstanding 
all  that  Rosenmiiller,  Havernick,  Ewald, 
and  Fairbairn  have  alleged  to  the  con- 
trary. If  the  Jews  themselves  were  to 
be  the  plant  or  plantation,  there  would 
be  no  propriety  in  the  promise  that  it 
should  be  raised  up  for  them. 


31.  These  words  contain  an  explana- 
tion of  the  figurative  language  employed 
in  reference  to  the  Jewish  people  and 
their  rulers.  It  was  not  to  be  understood 
literally  of  shepherds  and  their  flock, 
but  of  the  people  of  Israel  and  those 
who  exercised  authority  over  them. 
Jehovah  vindicates  to  himself  his  right 
of  propriety  in  them,  and  renews  the 
declaration  of  his  gracious  relation  to 
them  as  their  covenant  God.  The  strong 
conti'ast  asserted  was  designed  to  convey 
the  idea,  that,  weak  as  the  Israelites 
were  in  themselves,  and  utterly  inade- 
quate to  the  task  of  effecting  their  own 
deliverance,  they  were  warranted  to 
exercise  strong  faith  in  the  Most  High. 


178  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  XXXV.  2-6. 


CHAPTER  XXXV. 

This  chapter  contains  an  episode  relative  to  tlie  Edomites,  naturally  arising  out  of  the 
preceding  promises  of  blessings  to  the  Israelites.  The  Idumeans  had  been  the  inveterate 
foes  of  the  covenant  people,  and  had  exulted  with  fiendish  malignity  at  the  breaking 
up  of  their  polity  by  the  Chaldeans.  Jehovah  had  already  declared  by  the  prophet, 
chap.  XXV.  12-14,  that  he  would  execute  vengeance  upon  the  neighboring  people.  This 
threatening  he  here  repeats  at  greater  length,  declaring  that  he  would  utterly  destroy 
them,  and  thus  disappoint  them  of  their  anticipated  possession  of  the  land  of  Israel. 

1  And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying :  Son  of  man,  set 

2  thy  face  against  Mount  Seir,  and  prophesy  against  it,  And  say 

3  to  it :  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  :  Behold,  I  am  against  thee, 

0  Mount  Seir !  and  I  will  stretch  out  my  hand  against  thee, 

4  and  I  will  make  thee  desolate  and  waste.  I  will  make  thy 
cities  a  desolation,  and  thou  shalt  be  desolate,  and  thou  shalt 

5  know  that  I  am  Jehovah.  Because  thou  hast  the  old  enmity, 
and  didst  deliver  over  the  children  of  Israel  to  the  power  of  the 
sword  in  the  day  of  their  calamity,  in  the  time  of  the  iniquity 

6  of  the  end  ;  Therefore,  as  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  surely 

1  will  turn  thee  to  blood,  and  blood  shall  pursue  thee ;  since 

7  thou  didst  not  hate  blood,  therefore  blood  shall  pursue  thee.  I 
will  even  make  Mount  Seir  desolate  and  waste,  and  will  cut  off 

2.  "i^y^J  J  Seir,  the  country  of  the  jnrcd  them  in  every  possible  way.  Ps. 
Edomites  ;  according  to  the  etymolopry,  cxxxvii.  7  ;  Amos  i.  11  ;  Obad.  10-16. 
the  Shaijfjii,  from  the  rough  and  bristling  For  |'J5  "ilS  ,  the  iniquity  of  the  end,  com- 
character  of  its  mountains  and  forests,  pare  chap.  xxi.  30. 

The  northern  division  of  the  country  is         6.  There    is    singular   force    in    the 

„   ,  ..i     .  i»    T^    T  rr.1  repetition  of  the  term  D'n  ,  f/n?n,  6/ooJ,  in 

stdl  called  51  v^iJI  ,£^ss/ic'"ai.    The  cap-      .\  ^.        .  '       .         ..     .„ 

y  '  ^       this  verse,  taken  m  connection  with  the 

ital  was  S^O  ,  Sela,  the  Eock,  Petra,  the  fact  of  its   relation   in  sound  to   ClX , 

remarkable   ruins  of  which   have  been  Edom,   the   name   of   the    country.     It 

visited  and  described  by  several  modern  forms  a  paronomasia  which  it  is  impos- 

travcllers.     See  especially  Dr.  Robinson  sible  to  imitate  in  our  language.     In  the 

in  his  Biblical  Eesearches,  vol.  ii.  pp.  second  and  fourth   instances,  the  word 

514-538.  is  used   in    the  sense  of  Mood-shedding. 

3.  The  stretching  forth  of  the  hand  Since  the  Edomites  had  not  hated  shed- 
indicates,  in  such  connection,  threaten-  ding  the  blood  of  others,  but  on  the 
ing  and  punishment.  n^'^'O^l  fT^^"^  contrary  aiFected  it,  the  guilt  thereof 
an  emphatic  paronomasia :  lit.  desolation  should  be  avenged  in  the  shedding  oi 
and  desolateness ;  i.e.  completely  desolate,  their  own  blood.     The  position  of  Np 

4.  The  country  was  to  become  an  before  M  gives  greater  force  to  the 
arid  waste.  sentence.     The  supposition  of  some  that 

5.  The  enmity  of  the  Edomites  to  the  blood  is  here  to  be  taken  in  the  sense 
Jews  dated  from  the  earliest  period  of  of  consanguinity,  is  utterly  to  be  rejected, 
their  history.     They  harassed  and  in-  as  unwarranted  by  Hebrew  usage. 


Chap.  XXXV.  7-15.]  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  179 

8  from  it  him  that  passeth,  and  him  that  returneth,  And  I  will 
fill  his  mountains  with  his  slain,  thy  high  places  and  thy  valleys ; 
and  as  for  all  thy  channels,  the  slain  by  the  sword  shall  fall  in 

9  them.  I  will  make  thee  perpetual  desolations,  and  thy  cities 
shall  not  be  inhabited ;  and  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah. 

10  Because  thou  saidst:  The  two  nations  and  the  two  countries 
shall  be  mine,  and  we  shall  possess  them ;  whereas  Jehovah  is 

11  there :  Therefore,  as  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  I  will  act 
according  to  thine  anger  and  according  to  thine  envy  which 
thou  hast  used  out  of  thy  hatred  against  them ;  and  I  will  be 

12  known  among  them,  when  I  have  judged  thee.  And  thou  shalt 
know  that  I  Jehovah  have  heard  all  thy  contempt  which  thou 
hast  uttered  against  the  mountains  of  Israel,  saying :  They  are 

13  laid  waste,  they  are  given  to  us  for  consumption.  And  ye  have 
spoken  proudly   against  me  with  your  mouth,  and  multiplied 

14  your  words  against  me :  I  have  heard  them.  Thus  saith  the 
Lord  Jehovah  :  "When  the  whole  earth  rejoiceth,  I  will  make 

15  thee  desolate.  As  thou  didst  rejoice  at  the  inheritance  of  the 
house  of  Israel  because  it  was  desolate,  so  will  I  do  to  thee : 
thou  shalt  be  desolate,  O  Mount  Seir,  and  the  whole  of  Edom ; 
and  they  shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah. 

7-9.  The   country   of   the   Edomites  that  Jehovah  still  claimed  his  propriety 

was  to  be  depopulated  and  laid  entirely  in  it.   He  was  still  there.    The  Chaldeans 

waste,   a    prediction   which    has    been  could  not  remove  him,  as  they  did  the 

literallyfulfilled,  as  even  infidel  travellers  idols  of  the  nations, 
have  borne   testimony.      See    Savary's         11-15.    They   did  not    confine  their 

Letters.  contumely   and   hatred  to   the  Jewish 

10.  The  Idumeans  are  here  abruptly  people,  but  treated  their  covenant  God 

introduced  as   exulting  at  the  thought  in  the  same  manner.     They  represented 

of  possessing  the  land  of  Canaan,  which  him    as    not  having    been   sufficiently 

the  Jews  and  Israelites  had  vacated,  but  powerful  to  protect  the  people  whom  he 

are  suddenly  checked  by  the  declaration,  had  adopted  as  peculiarly  his  own. 


180  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  XXXVI.  1-12. 


CHAPTER    XXXVI. 

In  this  chapter  Ezekiel  is  charged  to  personify  the  mountains  of  Israel,  and  to  assure  them 
that,  notwitlistanding  the  proud  boastings  of  the  Idumeans,  they  should  be  restored 
to  their  pristine  prosperity,  1-15.  The  causes  of  their  desolation  are  then  specifically  set 
forth,  16-20.  And  the  rest  of  the  chapter  comprehends  gracious  promises  of  the  restora- 
tion of  the  captive  people,  and  their  participation  in  the  blessings  of  the  new  covenant, 
21-38. 

1  And  thou,  son  of  man,  prophesy  unto  the  mountains  of  Israel,  and 

2  say  :  Ye  mountains  of  Israel,  hear  the  word  of  Jehovah :  Thus 
saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Because  the  enemy  hath  said  concern- 
ing  you,  Aha !    behold,  the   ancient   h.eights   are   become   our 

3  possession  :  Therefore  prophesy  and  say  :  Thus  saith  the  Lord 
Jehovah  :  Because,  even  because  they  have  made  you  desolate, 
and  have  swallowed  you  up  round  about,  that  ye  might  become 
an  inheritance  to  the  residue  of  the  nations,  and  ye  are  taken 
up  on  the  lips  of  talkers,  and  are  a  reproach  to  the  people. 

4  Therefore,  O  mountains  of  Israel,  hear  ye  the  word  of  the  Lord 
Jehovah :  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  to  the  mountains,  and 
to  the  hills,  to  the  streams,  and  to  the  valleys,  and  to  the 
desolate  wastes,  and  to  the  cities  that  are  deserted,  which  had 
become    a   prey  and  a   derision  to  the  residue  of  the  nations 

5  which  are  round  about.  Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah : 
Surely  I  have  spoken  in  the  fire  of  my  jealousy  against  the 
residue  of  the  nations,  and  against  the  whole  of  Edom,  which 
have  appointed  my  land  to  themselves  for  a  possession  with  the 
joy  of  all  their  heart,  with  despite  of  soul,  that  its  pasture  might 

1,  2.  Mountains  being  the  most  con-  reduplication:  '?^?  "J?^  ,  which  is  equir- 

spicuous  part  of  a  country,  Canaan  is  alent   to    the    same  with    the  copula : 

thus   inti-oduced  to  view,  the  object  of  "i?^?!!  'ji'^  ,  because,  even  because,  or  yea, 

avaricious    hope   on    the    part   of   the  because.    Jehovah  here  singles  out  the 

Idumeans  as  expressed  in  the  foregoing  cupidity  and   haughty  conduct   of  the 

chapter,  and  of  iiappy  anticipation  on  the  enemies  of  his  people  as  the  objects  of 

part  of  their  lawful  inheritors.     These  his   righteous   displeasure.      They  had 

are   denominated    DS'lJ'    rTi733 ,  ancient  slandered  the  Jews  because  of  their  con- 

heiqhts,  in   reference  to   the  remote  an-  ncction  with  Jehovah.     rsb~b5>  nPS'tl 

tiquity    from  which    their    fertility   had  '>  \^^^  ,  lit.  to  cause  to  (jo  up  tipon  the  lip  of 

been   celebrated.     See   Gen.    xlix.   26;  a  ^o^f/ue,  i.e.  as  Gesenius  explains,  of  the 

Deut.  xxxiii.  1.5.     The  term   Israel  is  slanderer. 

here  used  irresjicctive  of  the  division  of  4-12.  In  retribution  for  all  the  evils 

the   two   kingdoms,   and    includes   the  to  which  they  bad  been  subjected  on  the 

whole  of  the  tribes  that  returned  from  part  of  the  neighboring  nations,  espe- 

captivity.  cially  the  Edomites,  Jehovah  promises 

3.  There  is  much  emphasis  in   the  to  restore  the  prosperity  of  his  people  to 


Chap.  XXXVI.  10-20.]  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  181 

6  become  a  prey.  Therefore  prophesy  concerning  the  land  of 
Israel,  and  say  to  the  mountains  and  to  the  hills,  to  the  channels 
and  to  the  valleys :  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Behold,  I 
have  spoken  in  my  jealousy  and  in  my  fury,  because  ye  have 

7  borne  the  reproach  of  the  nations.  Therefore  thus  saith  the 
Lord  Jehovah :  I  have  lifted  up  my  hand  ;  assuredly  the  nations 

8  that  are  round  about  you,  they  shall  bear  their  reproach.  But 
as  for  you,  O  ye  mountains  of  Israel,  ye  shall  shoot  forth  your 
branches,  and  bear  your  fruit  to  my  people  Israel ;  for  they  are 

9  near  to  come.     For,  behold,  I  am  for  you,  and  will  turn  unto 

10  you,  and  ye  shall  be  tilled  and  sown.  And  I  will  multiply  men 
upon  you,  the  whole  house  of  Israel,  all  of  it ;  and  the  cities 

11  shall  be  inhabited,  and  the  waste  places  shall  be  builded.  And 
I  will  multiply  upon  you  man  and  beast ;  and  they  shall  increase 
and  be  fruitful,  and  I  will  cause  you  to  dwell  according  to  your 
former  circumstances,  and  will  do  you  good  more  than  at  your 

12  beginnings  ;  and  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah.  And  I  will 
cause  men  to  walk  upon  you,  even  my  people  Israel ;  and  they 
shall  possess  thee,  and  thou  shalt  be  to  them  for  an  inheritance, 

13  and  thou  shalt  no  more  bereave  them.  Thus  saith  the  Lord 
Jehovah :    Because  they  say  to  you  :    Thou  wast  a  devourer  of 

14  men,  and  hast  bereaved  thy  nations.  Therefore  thou  shalt  no  more 
devour  men,  neither  shalt  thou  bereave  thy  nations  any  more, 

15  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah.  And  I  will  not  cause  thee  to  hear  the 
reproach  of  the  nations  any  more,  neither  shalt  thou  bear  the 
insult  of  the  nations  any  more,  and  thou  shalt  not  bereave  thy 

16  nations  any  more,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah.     And  the  word  of 

17  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying  :  Son,  of  man,  the  house  of  Israel 
dwelt  in  their  own  land,  but  they  defiled  it  by  their  way,  and 
by  their  doings :  their  way  was  before  me  as  the  uncleanness  of 

a  higher  degree   than   had   ever  before  aremorcinaccordance  with  the  exigency 

been  experienced.     All  the  localities  are  of  the  passage. 

specified  which  could  suggest  the  ideas  13-15.  The   heathen   reproached   the 

of  convenience  and  enjoyment.     Instead  Israelites  because  of  their  rejection  by 

of  the  country  being  any  longer  bereaved  their  God,  whom   they   represented  as 

of  its  inhabitants  in  punishment  of  their  unable  to  deliver  them.     This  reproach 

wickedness,    it   should   again   be   filled  should  cease  on  the  restoration  of  the 

with  a  flourishing  population.  covenant  people. 

Eor  "'S'^psn  ,  upwards  of  twenty -eight  16-20.  The  prophet  here  depicts  the 

codices  read  with  the  Keri,  two  ancient  abominable  character  of  his  countrymen, 

editions, theLXX., Arab.,  Syr., andTarg.  which  was  the  cause  of  their  removah 

•ipS'il'Pl .    A  similar  transposition  occurs  Even  among  the  heathen  at  first  their 

in   the  following  verse,  both  of  which  practices  were  so  far  from  conciliating 
16 


182  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  [Chap.  XXXVI.  21-27. 

18  a  removed  woman.  And  I  poured  out  my  fury  upon  tliem, 
because  of  the  blood  which  they  had  shed  in  the  land,  and  be- 

19  cause  of  their  idolatries  with  which  they  had  defiled  it.  And  I 
scattered  them  among  the  nations,  and  they  were  dispersed 
through  the  countries  :  according  'o  their  way,  and  according  to 

20  their  doings  I  judged  them.  And  when  they  came  to  the 
nations  whither  they  went,  then  they  profaned  my  holy  name 
by  saying  of  them :   These  are  the  people  of  Jehovah,  and  are 

21  gone  forth  out  of  his  land.  But  I  had  pity  for  my  holy  name 
which  the  house  of  Israel  had  defiled  among  the  nations  whither 

22  they  had  come.  Therefore  say  unto  the  house  of  Israel :  Thus 
saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Not  for  your  sakes  do  I  it,  0  house 
of  Israel,  but  for  my  holy  name,  which  ye  have  profaned  among 

23  the  nations  whither  ye  are  come.  And  I  Avill  sanctify  my  great 
name  which  hath  been  profaned  among  the  nations,  which  ye 
have  profaned  in  the  midst  of  them ;  and  the  nations  shall  know 
that  I  am  Jehovah,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  when  I  am  sancti- 

24  fied  in  you  in  their  sight.  Then  I  will  take  you  from  the 
nations,  and  collect  you  from  all  the  countries,  and  will  bring 

25  you  into  your  own  land.  And  I  will  sprinkle  clean  water  upon 
you,  and  you  shall  be  clean :  from  all  your  filthiness,  and  from 

26  all  your  idols  will  I  cleanse  you.  And  I  will  give  you  a  new 
heart,  and  a  new  sjjii-it  will  I  put  within  you,  and  I  will  take 
away  the  heart  of  stone  out  of  your  flesh,  and  will  give  you  a 

27  heart  of  flesh.  And  I  will  put  my  Spirit  within  you,  and  make 
that  ye  shall  walk  in  my  statutes,  and  observe  my  judgments 

their  good  opinion,    that   they   tended  they  should   have  -vvi-ought   in   them  a 

rather  to  prejudice  them.  complete   change  of    moral   character. 

21-24.  There  was  nothing  in  Israel  Such  a  change  God  here  promises  to 
to  induce  Jehovah  to  interpose  on  their  effect  in  their  experience.  In  the  fullest 
behalf.  They  richly  merited  the  punish-  sense  the  promise  was  fulfilled  in  the 
mcnt  inflicted  upon  them.  It  was,  there-  blessed  experience  of  all  who  were  truly 
fore,  to  be  impressed  upon  them  that  converted  to  God,  and  returned  in  a 
their  restoration  would  be  owing  to  his  spiritually  regenerated  state  to  Canaan, 
own  free  grace,  and  his  determination  to  just  as  it  is  still  in  that  of  all  who  are 
recover  for  his  glorious  character  that  the  subjects  of  the  saving  influences  of 
lustre  which  they  had  obscured  in  the  thelloly  Spirit,  whether  Jews  or  Gentiles, 
sight  of  the  heathen.  He  is  represented  It  would  be  too  much,  however,  to  sup- 
as  moved  with  sympathy  for  the  glory  pose  that  the  great  bulk  of  the  nation 
of  his  name.  expei-icnced  any  such  total  change  ;  as 

25-27.  Compare  on   chap.  xi.  18-20.  the  accounts   which   we  have  in  their 

To  qualify  the  Hebrews  for  the  enjoy-  subsequent  history  too  abundantly  show, 

ment  oi  the  blessings   connected  with  Still,   by   the   divine    blessing    on    the 

their  rajtoration,  it  was  necessary  that  means  employed  in  Babylon  for  recover- 


Chap.  XXXVI.  27-36.] 


EZEKIEL. 


183 


28  and  do  them.  And  ye  shall  dwell  in  the  land  which  I  gave 
unto  your  fathers ;  and  ye  shall  be  my  j^ieople,  and  I  will  be 

29  your  God.  And  I  will  save  you  from  all  your  uncleannesses, 
and  will  call  for  the  corn,  and  increase  it,  and  lay  no  famine 

30  upon  you.  And  I  will  increase  the  fruit  of  the  tree  and  the 
growth  of  the  field,  that  ye  may  no  more  receive  the  reproach 

31  of  famine  among  the  heathen.  And  ye  shall  remember  your 
wicked  ways,  and  your  treacherous  doings  which  were  not  good, 
and   ye   shall   be  disgusted  with    yourselves  because   of  your 

32  iniquities  and  because  of  your  abominations.  Not  for  your 
sakes  do  I  this,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  be  it  known  to  you : 

33  blush  and  be  ashamed  of  your  ways,  O  house  of  Israel !  Thus 
saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  In  the  day  when  I  cleanse  you  from 
all  your  iniquities,  I  will  also  cause  your  cities  to  be  inhabited, 

34  and  your  wastes  to  be  rebuilt.  And  the  land  which  had  been 
desolate  shall  be  cultivated,  instead  of  its  being  desolate  in  the 

35  sight  of  all  that  passed  by.  And  they  shall  say:  This  land 
which  had  been  desolate  is  as  the  garden  of  Eden ;  and  the 
cities  that  had   been  desolate,  and  the  waste   places,  and  .the 


ing  them  from  idolatry,  they  appear  to 
have  been  thorouglily  cured  of  that  evil, 
and  returned,  outwardly  at  least,  to  the 
pure  worship  of  Jehovah,  the  God  of 
their  fathers.  Instead  of  the  hard  and 
obstinate  heart  which  had  led  them  to 
reject  all  the  divine  counsels,  and  persist 
in  a  course  of  disobedience,  they  were 
to  have  imparted  to  them  a  heart  easily 
impressible  by  the  truth  of  God,  a  dis- 
position to  love  him,  and  walk  in  his 
ways.  This  is  ascribed  to  the  inhabita- 
tion and  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
the  author  of  all  that  is  good  in  man. 
The  whole  is  represented  symbolically 
under  the  idea  of  purification  —  an  idea 
borrowed  from  the  lustrations  of  the 
Mosaic  law,  b^'  which  the  Jews  were 
cleansed  from  any  ])ollutions  which  they 
might  have  contracted,  csi)ccial!y  the 
ceremonies  connected  with  the  water  of 
separation  made  of  tiic  ashes  of  a  red 
heifer  (Numb.  xix.).  A  remarkable  ful- 
filment of  this  in'0))hecy  in  the  out- 
])Ouring  of  the  Sjjirit,  is  recorded  Ezra 
chapters  ix.  x.     The  people  generally 


made  a  great  mourning,  confessed  their 
sins,  renewed  their  covenant  with  God, 
and  set  themselves  in  right  earnest  to 
observe  the  law.  The  sacred  historian 
observes,  that  they  kept  the  feast  of 
tabernacles  in  such  a  manner  as  it  had 
not  been  observed  since  the  days  of 
Joshua  the  son  of  Nun.  The  Jews  sep- 
arated themselves  from  all  strangers, 
and  reformed  many  abuses  which  had 
crept  in  among  them. 

28-32.  It  is  manifest  from  the  whole 
tenor  of  the  language  employed  by  the 
jn'ophct,  that  temporal  and  spiritual 
blessings  are  beautifully  intermixed  with 
each  other.  The  Israelites  are  again 
reminded  that  it  was  not  for  any  good 
thing  in  them  meriting  the  divine  favor, 
that  such  blessings  were  to  be  conferred 
upon  them.  Looking  back  on  their 
rebellious  conduct,  they  should  discover 
nothing  but  Avhat  was  calculated  to  fill 
tlicm  with  shame  and  confusion  of  face. 
Jlerit,  therefore,  was  entirely  out  of  the 
question. 

33-36.  So  great  should  be  the  change 


184  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  XXXIIV.  1-6. 

36  ruins  are  fortified  and  inhabited.  And  the  nations  that  are  left 
around  you  shall  know  that  I  Jehovah  build  up  the  ruined 
places,  and   plant   that  which    had  been  desolate :    I   Jehovah 

37  have  said  it,  and  will  do  it.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah : 
Yet  for  this  will  I  be  inquired  of  by  the  house  of  Israel,  to  do 

38  it  for  them ;  I  will  increase  them  with  men  as  a  flock.  As  the 
holy  flock,  as  the  flock  of  Jerusalem  in  her  festivals,  so  shall  the 
waste  cities  be  filled  with  flocks  of  men ;  and  they  shall  know 
that  I  am  Jehovah. 

that  would  take  place  in  their  outward  Such   application  would   show  that  it 

circufnstances,  that  it  could  not  fail  to  was  fit  and  proper  in  God  to  accomplish 

attract  the  attention  of  by-passers.     The  his  promises  in  their  happy  experience, 

transformation  could  only  be  compared  38.    Multitudinous    as   were    the   as- 

to  such   a  change  as  must   take   place  semblages   of   animals   for   sacrifice   at 

were  the  land  to  be  converted  into  the  Jerusalem   on   occasion  of  the   annual 

garden  of  Eden.  festivals,   when    all    the    males   in   the 

37.  However    absolute    the    gracious  nation  were  required  to  appear   before 

promises  made  to  Israel,  they  were  not  the  Lord,  they  were  only  a  fit  emblem  of 

to  be  realized  independently  of  apjjlica-  the   restored  people  in  all   parts  of  the 

tion  on  their  part  for  their  fulfilment,  country ;  so  great  was  to  be  their  number. 


CHAPTER    XXXVII. 

This  chapter  contains  a  parabolic  vision  in  wliicli  was  represented  to  the  prophet  the  res- 
toration of  his  liopelessly  depressed  countrymen,  under  the  emblem  of  the  resurrection 
of  a  multitude  of  dry  bones  which  are  suddenly  invested  with  life,  flesh,  and  beauty, 
1-10.  This  is  followed  by  a  brief  exposition  of  the  parable,  11-14;  and  then,  to  show 
that  the  restoration  was  to  embrace  the  ten  tribes,  as  well  as  the  two  tribes  and  a  half, 
two  united  sticks  are  emblematically  employed,  the  one  representing  the  southern  or 
Jewish  kingdom,  and  the  other  the  northern  or  Israelitish,  15-22.  The  chapter  concludes 
with  renewed  promises  of  Messiah  and  his  kingdom,  23-28. 

1  The  hand  of  Jehovah  was  upon  me,  and  he  carried  me  forth  in 

the  Spirit  of  Jehovah,  and  set  me  down  in  the  midst  of  the 

2  valley,  and  it  was  full  of  bones.     And  caused  me  to  pass  by 
them  round  about ;  and,  behold,  they  were  very  many,  in  the 

3  face  of  the  valley ;  and,  behold,  they  were  very  dry.     And  he 
said  unto  me :  Son  of  man,  can  these  bones  live  ?  and  I  said, 

1,  2.    That   the  matters   narrated   in  was,  as  he  must  in  that  case  have  had 

this  chapter  were  transacted  in  vision,  literally  presented  to  his  vicAV  his  captive 

we   are  here  expressly  told.     Whether  countrymen  in  their  condition  of  utter 

the  f^^'pS  ,  valley,  specified  was  that  in  hopelessness. 

which  Ezekiel  had  already  had  visions  3-6.  To  excite  his  attention  and  put 

by  the  river  Chebar,  chaps,  i.  1 ;  iii.  22-24,  his  faith  to  the  test,  he  is  asked:  Can 

we  are  not  informed :  but  it  most  likely  these  bones  live  ?     The  only  answer  he 


Chap.  XXXVII.  3-11.]  EZEKIEL.  185 

4  O  Lord  Jehovah,  thou  knowest.  And  he  said  unto  me,  Proph- 
esy over  these  bones,  and  say  unto  them :  O  ye  dry  bones,  hear 

5  ye  the  word  of  Jehovah.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  unto 
these  bones :  Behold,  I  will  cause  breath  to  enter  into  you,  and 

6  ye  shall  live.  And  I  will  put  sinews  upon  you,  and  bring  up 
flesh  upon  you,  and  cover  you  with  skin,  and  I  will  put  breath 
into  you,  and  ye  shall  live ;  and  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  Je- 

7  hovah.  And  I  prophesied  as  I  was  commanded ;  and  there  was 
a  voice  as  I  prophesied ;  and,  behold,  a  noise !  and  the  bones 

8  came  together,  bone  to  its  bone.  And  I  looked ;  and,  behold, 
there  were  sinews  upon  them ;  and  flesh  came  up,  and  skin 
covered  them  from  above ;  but  there  was  no  breath  in  them. 

9  Then  he  said  unto  me :  Prophesy  to  the  wind,  prophesy,  son  of 
man,  and  say  to  the  wind.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Come 
from  the  four  winds,  O  breath,  and  breathe  upon  these  slain, 

10  that  they  may  live.  And  I  prophesied  as  I  was  commanded, 
and  the  spirit  came  into  them,  and  they  lived,  and  stood  upon 

11  their  feet,  an  exceeding  great  army.  And  he  said  unto  me: 
Son  of  man,  these  bones  are  the  whole  house  of  Israel :  behold, 
they  are  saying:  Our  bones  are  dried  up,  and  our  hope  hath 

12  perished ;  we  are  altogether  cut  off.  Therefore  prophesy,  and 
say  unto  them :  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Behold,  I  will 
open  your  graves,  and  will  cause  you  to  come  up  from  your 
graves,  0  my  people !  and  will  bring  you  to  the  land  of  Israel. 

could   give,   was   an   appeal    to   divine  reviviscence,  the  breath  was  commanded 

omniscience.     Upon  this,  he  received  a  to  come  from  all  quarters  of  the  heavens, 

charge  to  prophesy  to  them, commanding  The  scene  closes  with  a  resurrection  of 

them  to  listen  to  the  word  of  Jehovah,  the  bones  in  the  shape  of  living  men. 
which  was  followed  by  assurances  that         However  striking  the  analogy  between 

God  would  take  the  process  of  restoration  this  scene  and  that  which  will  be  pre- 

into  his  own  hand.  sented  to  view  in  the  general  resurrection 

7-10.  As   Ezekiel  fulfilled   his   com-  at  the  last  day,  there  is   no  reason  to 

mission,  a  commotion  took  place  among  believe   that   the  doctrine  of  the  latter 

the  bones.     They  cohered   each   to   its  was  intended  distinctly  to  be  taught  by 

fellow  in   regular  order ;  but  all   con-  it,  any  more  than  that  it  was  intended 

tinued  in  a  state  of  inanimation,  mere  to    adumbrate    the   quickening  of    the 

motionless  skeletons.     The  next  step  in  spiritually  dead  by  means  of  the  gospel, 

the  process  was  that  of  covering  them  The  passage  may  be  used  in  illustration 

with   sinews,    skin,    and   flesh.      Their  of  both,  but  further  than  this  we  are  not 

hideous  appearance  now  assumed  one  of  warranted  to  go  in  our  interpretation, 
beauty;  but  still  they  were  without  life.         11-14.  We  are  here  expressly  informed 

On  this    the  prophet   was   charged   to  what  was   the   object  of  tlic   allegory : 

invoke  the  wind  to  breathe  into  them ;  viz.  to  set  forth  the  restoration  of  the 

and,  to  convey  the  idea  of  complete  Jewish  state.     The  captives  had  given 
16* 


186  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  XXXVII.  21-29. 

13  And  ye  shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah,  when  I  open  your 
graves,  and  cause   you  to  come  vip   from  your  graves,  O  my 

14  people.  And  I  will  put  my  Spirit  within  you,  and  ye  shall 
live,  and  I  will  place  you  in  your  own  laud ;  and  ye  shall  know 
that  I  Jehovah  have  spoken  it,  and  will  do  it,  saith  Jehovah. 

15  And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying:    Moreover,  thou 

16  son  of  man,  take  to  thee  one  stick  and  write  upon  it:  For 
Judah,  and  for  the  house  of  Israel,  his  companions :  then  take 
another  stick,  and  write   upon   it :    For   Joseph,   the  stick  of 

17  Ephraim,  and  all  the  house  of  Israel,  his  companions.  And 
join  them  one   to  another,  one  stick  for  thee,  and  they  shall 

18  become  one  in  thine  hand.  And  when  the  children  of  thy 
people  shall   speak    unto  thee,  saying,  wilt   thou  not  show  us 

19  what  these  are  to  thee  ?  Say  unto  them  :  Thus  saith  the  Lord 
Jehovah :  Behold,  I  will  take  the  stick  of  Joseph  which  is  in 
the  hand  of  Ephraim,  and  the  tribes  of  Israel  his  companions, 
and  will  put  them  with  the  house  of  Judah,  and  make  them  one 

20  stick,  and  they  shall  be  one  in  my  hand.     And  the  sticks  on 

21  which  thou  writest  shall  be  in  thy  hand  in  their  sight.  And 
say  unto  them :  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Behold,  I  will 
take  the  children  of  Israel  from  among  the  nations  whither  they 
have  gone,  and  gather  them  from  every  side,  and  bring  them 

22  into  their  own  land.  And  I  will  make  them  one  nation  in  the 
land  upon  the  mountains  of  Israel ;  and  one  king  shall  be  king 
to  them  all :  and  they  shall  no  more  be  two  nations,  neither 

23  shall  they  be  divided  into  two  kingdoms  any  more.  And  they 
shall  no  more  defile  themselves  with  their  idols,  and  with  their 
abominations,  and  with  all  their  transgressions  ;  for  I  will  save 
them  out  of  all  their  dwellings  in  which  they  have  sinned,  and 
will  cleanse  them,  and  they  shall  be  my  people,  and  I  will  be 

up  all  for  lost.    They  arc  by  this  allegory  separate  kingdoms,  Samaria  being  the 

taught  that  there  is  nothing  impossible  capital  of  the  one,  and  Jerusalem  that 

with  God  ;  and  that,  thci-cforc,  how  des-  of  the  other.     This  division,  which  had 

perate  their   circumstances   in  Chaldea  been  productive  of  many  evils,  especially 

might  appear,  there  was  hope  for  them  that  of  the  maintenance  of  idolatry,  was 

iu  their.covenant  God.     They  were   to  not   to   exist  on   their  return   to   their 

be  restored  to  a  state  of  political  indc-  own  land.     They  were  to  be  united  in 

pendence  in  their  own  land.     'tS?  ,  ver.  one  corporate  body,  the  jealousy  between 

11,  rendered  in  the  common  version  /or  them  ceasing,  and   all  joining   in   the 

our  parts,  is  the  reflexive  dative,  and  is  worship  of  the  true  God.     Compare  my 

equivalent  to  so  far  as  we  are  concerned.  notes   on  Jeremiah  xxxi.     This  happy 

15-22.  From  the  time  of  Jeroboam  the  state  of  things  Ezekiel  was  commanded 

Hebrew  people  had  been  divided  into  two  to  exhibit  by  a  striking  symbolical  action, 


Chap.  XXXVn.  22-28.] 


EZEKIEL. 


187 


24  their  God,  And  my  servant  David  shall  be  king  over  them, 
and  there  shall  be  one  shepherd  to  them  all ;  and  they  shall 
walk  in  my  judgments,  and  keep  my  statutes,  and  do  them. 

25  And  they  shall  dwell  in  the  land  which  I  gave  to  my  servant 
Jacob,  in  which  your  fathers  dwelt :  they  shall  even  dwell  in  it, 
they  and  their  children,  and  their  children's  children  forever ; 

26  and  David  my  servant  shall  be  a  prince  to  them  forever.  And 
I  will  make  for  them  a  covenant  of  peace ;  an  everlasting 
covenant  shall  be  to  them :  and  I  will  i^lace  them,  and  increase 

27  them,  and  set  my  sanctuary  in  the  midst  of  them  forever.  And 
my  tabernacle  shall  be  over  them,  and  I  will  be  their  God,  and 

28  they  shall  be  my  people.  And  they  shall  know  that  I  am 
Jehovah,  the  Sanctifier  of  Israel,  when  my  sanctuary  is  in  the 
midst  of  them  forever. 


highly  calculated  to  excite  the  curiosity 
of  his  countrymen.  This  prophecy  was 
fulfilled  in  tiic  reign  of  Cyrus ;  for  not 
only  did  the  Jews  return  and  take  pos- 
session of  the  southern  parts  of  the 
countiy,  but  the  Israelites  also  were 
restored  to  their  ancient  possessions. 

23-2.5.  In  this  state  of  restored  har- 
mony, and  purification  from  all  their 
idolatries  and  other  sins  of  which  they 
had  been  guilty  before  the  captivity, 
they  should  live  in  conformity  to  the 
theocratic  laws  under  the  rule  of  Messiah. 
To  this  rule  he  was  predestined,  and  if 
they  failed  to  enjoy  as  a  people  the 
benefits  of  his  government  in  the  bless- 
ings of  the  new  covenant,  it  was  because 
they  rejected  his  great  salvation.  The 
reign  here  and  elsewhere  predicted  was 
not  to  be  earthly  and  temporal,  but 
spiritual,  on  the  throne  of  David  in  the 
spiritual  world.    Compare  2  Sam.  vii.  1 6 ; 


Ps.  ex.  1  ;  Acts  iii.  21  (where  &xpi  is  to 
be  rendered  not  until,  but  during)  v.  31  ; 
John  xviii.  36.  cnipbdlT:  ,  their  dwell- 
ings, ver.  23,  should,  according  to  some, 
be  read  DH^PSllUp  ,  their  defections ;  but 
it  is  without  any  authority  from  Hebrew 
MSS.  One  of  De  Rossi's  codices  has 
Dfl'^y'^Q  ,  their  sitis. 

26-28.  The  covenant  promised  to  be 
made  with  recovered  Israel  was  the  new 
and  better  dispensation  ( Isa.  Iv.  3  ;  Jer. 
x.xxi.  31-34),  established  in  the  media- 
tion of  Messiah  (Heb.  viii.  7-13).  If 
they  had  complied  with  the  conditions 
of  this  covenant,  they  should  have  re- 
mained in  their  land,  and  not  been  again 
dispersed  among  the  nations.  Their 
temple  should  have  no  more  been  de- 
stroyed, but  should  have  been  appro- 
priated for  the  purposes  of  Christian 
worship. 


CHAPTERS    XXXYIII.    XXXIX. 


There  cannot,  I  think,  be  a  donbt  that  the  whole  subject  of  these  chapters  is  to  be 
viewed  as  an  allcgor}'.  Under  names  of  persons  and  countries,  then  but  little 
known,  or  known  only  on  account  of  their  barbarous  and  all-conquering  propen- 
sities, Antiochus  Epiphanes  and  his  armies  are  represented  as  invading  Palestine, 
and  spreading  universal  terror  and  devastation  through  the  country. 


188  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  [Chap.  XXXVIH.  2,  3. 

The  materials  for  the  history  of  that  cruel  persecutor  are  indeed  scanty,  the  writings 
which  treat  of  his  period  having  heen  all  lost  except  what  Porphyry  has  intro- 
duced in  his  fifteenth  boolc  against  the  Christians,  of  which  fragments  have  been 
preserved  by  Jerome  in  his  Commentary  on  Daniel.  This  much,  however,  may 
be  gathered  from  these,  from  Josephus,  and  from  the  First  Book  of  Maccabees, 
—  that  the  persecutions  whicli  Antiochus  carried  on  in  Palestine  were  the  most 
severe  of  any  that  the  inhabitants  experienced  during  the  period  which  intervened 
between  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem  by  the  Chaldeans,  and  that  effected  by  the 
Romans. 

Receiving  information  that  the  Jews  were  rejoicing  at  the  report  of  his  supposed 
death  in  Egypt,  Antiochus  returned  hastily  to  Palestine,  took  Jerusalem  by 
storm,  plundered  the  city,  slew  eighty  thousand  persons,  men,  women,  and  chil- 
dren, took  forty  thousand  prisoners,  and  sold  as  many  into  slavery.  And,  as  if 
this  were  not  enough,  he  went,  under  the  guidance  of  the  wicked  high  priest 
Menelaus,  into  the  temple,  profaned  it  by  uttering  blasphemous  language,  and 
removed  thence  all  the  gold  he  could  lay  his  hand  on,  amounting  to  eighteen 
hundred  talents,  besides  quantities  of  silver,  all  of  which  he  carried  away.  To 
crown  this  wickedness,  he  sacrificed  swine  upon  the  altar  of  Jehovah,  boiled 
pieces  of  the  flesh,  and  sprinkled  the  whole  temple  with  the  broth. 

Two  years  afterwards,  being  disappointed  in  his  designs  against  Egypt,  and  return- 
ing from  that  country  in  disgrace,  he  sent  Apollonius  his  chief  collector  of 
tribute  with  a  division  of  twenty-two  thousand  men,  with  orders  to  cut  down  all 
the  men  whom  he  met  with,  and  to  make  slaves  of  the  women  and  children.  The 
consequence  was  that  the  streets  of  Jerusalem  flowed  with  blood,  the  houses 
were  plundered  and  demolished,  the  city  walls  were  thrown  down,  and  the  public 
services  of  religion  ceased.  In  place  of  the  altar  of  Jehovah,  he  caused  an  altar 
to  be  raised  to  be  used  in  sacrilicing  to  Jupiter  Olympius.  Every  attempt  to 
observe  the  law  of  Moses  was  made  a  capital  offence;  and  the  most  cruel  pun- 
ishments were  inflicted  on  such  of  the  inhabitants  as  remained,  and  refused  to 
complj'  with  the  impious  commands  of  the  infuriated  monarch.  In  fact  the 
Jews  had  never  before  been  subject  to  such  fui'ious  persecution.  Compare  Dan. 
viii.  10-26;  xi.  21-45;  xii.  1;  and  see  Jahn's  Hebrew  Commonwealth,  xciv.,  xcv. 

This  allegorical  description  of  the  apparently  desperate  case  of  the  Jews  is  the  pro- 
totype which  John  had  in  his  eye  when  predicting  the  overthrow  of  the  final 
antichristian  confederacy,  Rev.  xx.  7-9. 


CHAPTER  XXXVIII. 

To  set  forth  a  formidable  attack  that  would  be  made  upon  the  Jews  after  their  re-settlement 
in  Canaan,  the  prophet  introduces  an  assemblage  of  savage  people  under  a  distinguish- 
ingly  formidable  leader,  who  should  leave  no  method  untried  by  which  he  might  hope 
to  cflect  their  utter  extermination,  1-13-  Hereupon  it  is  predicted,  that  by  a  signal 
interposition  of  Divine  Providence,  this  enemy  should  be  completely  overthrown ;  that 
a  long  time  should  be  occupied  in  burying  the  dead  bodies  of  his  army;  and  that  their 
weapons  should  long  be  used  as  fuel  by  the  Jews,  14-23  and  chapter  xxxix. 

1  And  the  word  of  Jehovah  came  unto  me,  saying :  Son  of  man,  set 

2  thy  face  against  Gog,  of  the  land  of  Magog,  the  prince  of  Rosh, 

2,  3.  The  only  other  parts  of  Scripture  xxxii.  26 ;  Rev.  xx.  8.  The  first  of 
in  which  these  names  occur  are  Gen.  x.  2;  these  passages  is  important  to  our  present 
1  Chron.  i.  5  j   v.  4 ;  Ezek,  xxvii.  13 ;    inquiry,  as  pointing  us  to  the  direction 


Chap.  XXXVIII.  2,  3.] 


EZEKIEL. 


189 


3       Meshech,  and  Tubal,  and  prophesy  against  him ;  and  say :  Thus 
saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :    Behold,  I  am  against  thee,  O   Gog, 


in  which  to  look  for  the  people  and 
countries  here  specified.  It  is  generally 
admitted  that  the  descendants  of  Japhet 
arc  to  be  sought  for  in  the  west  of 
Europe  and  the  north  of  Asia.  Tracing 
them  back  to  their  original  abodes,  we 
discover  them  about  the  Black  and 
Caspian  Seas,  the  regions  of  theCaucasus, 
part  of  Armenia,  Asia  Minor,  Parthia, 
Persia,  and  the  countries  beyond.  They 
were  generally  known  to  the  Greeks 
under  the  name  of  Scythians,  with  which 
was  associated  the  idea  of  whatever  was 
rude,  uncivilized,  and  barbarous  ;  just 
as,  in  after  times,  the  same  idea  was 
attached  to  the  Tatars  and  other  northern 
nations.  Owing  to  their  inroads  into 
Southern  Asia,  they  were  partially  known 
by  the  reports  of  their  numbers  and 
ferocity,  and  tlie  devastations  which 
they  spread  wherever  they  came. 

Gog,  the  first  name  here  occurring,  is 
said  to  be  .liSSri  ynx ,  of  the  land  of 
Magog,  thereby  intimating,  not  that  the 
king  belonged  to  it  iis  his  origin,  but 
that  it  was  the  country  over  which  he 
reigned,  and  most  probably  that  this 
was  the  common  title  of  the  kings  of 
the  country,  just  as  Pharaoh  was  of 
those  of  Egypt.  There  has  been  much 
speculation  relative  to  the  etymology  of 
this  name,  and  few  have  bestowed  more 
pains  upon  it  than  the  learned  Bochart, 
in  his  Phaleg.  lib.  i.  cap.  ii.  p.  13  ;  lib. 
iii.  cap.  xiii.  p.  212,  seqq.  :  to  which 
add  Michaelis,  Supplementa  ad  Lexx. 
Hebraica,  Nos.  341,  1352.  The  only 
probable  conclusion,  in  which  most 
modern  interpreters  seem  inclined  to 
rest,  is,  that  the  term  is  merely  a  con- 
traction of  .  .tLi'L^  ;   Chakan,  a  name 

generally  given  by  the  northern  Asiatics 
to  their  king,  and  retained  by  the  Turks 
as  one  of  the  titles  of  the  Grand  Sultan 
to  this  day.  It  may  be  remarked,  how- 
ever, that  Bochart  advances  too  preca- 


rious a  position  when  he  would  derive  the 
word  Caucasus  from  "(OnSIS  ,  Gog-hasan, 
thefortressofGog.  That  the  ^  in  Magog 
is  local,  and  denotes  the  country,  is 
allowed  on  all  sides.  The  Asiatic  nations, 
which  have  retained  the  Hebrew  name, 
designate  thereby  the  regions  of  the 
remote  north,  which  were  for  the  most 
part  immersed  in  Cimmerian  darkness. 
Jerome,  in  his  Commentary  on  Ezekiel, 
says  :  Magog  esse  gentes  Scythicas, 
immanes  et  innumcrabiles,  qui  trans 
Caucasum  monteni  et  Mteotidem  palu- 
dem  et  prope  Caspiura  marc  ad  Indiam 
usque  tendantur.  For  Gog  and  Magog, 
the  Arabs  employ  the  kindred  terms 
g^ySs^\jC^    —^L,   YajujwaMajuj, 

justasasimilarform^j.A£^Uo«   ^^A^*., 

chin  wa  matchin,  is  used  of  China. 

It  has  been  matter  of  dispute  whether 
lyx"! ,  Rosh  is  to  be  considered  as  an 
appellative  or  as  a  proper  name.  The 
LXX.  take  the  latter  view,  and  render, 
riiy,  &pxovTa  'Pais,  Meaox,  xal  @o0f\, 
Gog,  prince  of  Ros,  Mesoch,  and  Thobel. 
Jerome,  indeed,  not  finding  any  such 
name  in  Genesis  or  elsewhere  in  Scrip- 
ture, rashly  concluded  that  it  must 
necessarily  be  an  appellative,  not  advert- 
ing to  the  fact,  that  there  are  other 
names  of  nations  mentioned  by  Ezekiel 
for  which  no  authority  can  be  found 
either  in  Moses  or  any  other  Old  Testa- 
ment writer. 

That  the  Tauri  inhabiting  the  Crimea 
were  a  Scythian  people  known  by  the 
name  of  Ros,  is  remarked  by  the  Greek 
Grammarian,  John  Tzetzes,  Chiliad  ii. 
Hist.  393  ;  and  the  same  name  has  been 
traced  by  Ibn  Fozzlan,  an  Arabian  writer 
of  the  same  period,  to  the  Russians  as 
dwellingon  the  river  Volga.  Constantin. 
Porphyr.,  in  his  work  De  Administr. 
Imper,  p.  ii.  c.  13,  refers  to  them  in  like 
manner  :  Etre  Xa^dpoi,  efre  TovpKoi,  eiVe 
Kol  'Pws,  ^  krepov  to  tQvos  ruv  Bopelwv 


190 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XXXVIII.  3-7. 


4  prince  of  Rosh,  Meshech,  and  Tubal.  And  I  will  cause  thee  to 
turn  back,  and  jiut  hooks  in  thy  jaws,  and  cause  thee  to  go  out, 
thee  and  all  thy  host,  horses  and  horsemen,  all  of  them  clothed 
in  perfection,  a  great  company  with  shield  and  buckler,  all  of 

5  them  handling  swords.     Persia,  Cush,  and  Put  with  them,  all 

6  of  them  with  buckler  and  helmet.  Gomer  and  all  his  armies ; 
the   house   of  Togarmah  from   the  furthest  north,  and  all  his 

7  armies  ;  many  people  with  thee.  Be  fully  prepared,  thou  and 
all  thy  company  that  are  collected  to  thee,  and  be  to  them  for  a 


Koi  IiKvQikSiv  :  and  Bochart  places  them 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  river  Araxes,  in 
which  word,  as  pronounced  by  the 
Arabians,  he  finds  the  etymology  of  the 
term. 

That  ^2  Wl  Ti';;^  ,  Meshech  and  Thubal, 
whatever  affinity  in  sound  there  may  be 
between  the  words,  have  any  reference 
to  Moscorij  and  Tobolsk,  is  contested 
with  much  show  of  reason  by  Michaclis, 
who  observes  that  the  name  of  the 
Russians  is  not  of  any  antiquity  in 
history  with  application  to  the  present 
occupants  of  the  empire ;  the  ancient 
name  of  that  people  being  Slavi  or 
Wends.  That  of  Moscovites  is  still  more 
recent,  and  was  given  to  the  people 
because  the  Czars  chose  Moscow  as  their 
place  of  residence.  That  city  was  first 
built  in  the  twelfth  century,  and  takes 
its  name  from  the  river  Moscow  on 
which  it  lies.  Tobolsk  is  of  still  more 
recent  date.  Nothing  would  therefore 
be  more  pi-ecarious  than  to  found  any 
theory  on  the  present  prophecy  of  Ezekiel 
relative  to  some  future  attack  of  the 
Russians  upon  the  Jews  in  Palestine. 

The  opinion  is  now  genei'ally  acqui- 
esced in,  that,  by  Meshech  and  Tubal, 
we  are  to  understand  the  Moschi  and 
Tibareni,  who  occupied  regions  about 
the  Caucasus  in  the  neighborhood  of 
the  Araxes. 

4,  5.  The  simple  meaning  of  ?]^ri;3 ^^ 
is,  /  will  cause  thee  to  turn  back,  and 
would  seem  to  be  here  used  simply  in 
reference  to  inducing  the  power  spoken 
of  to  change  his  position,  and  return  to 
some  point  which  he  had  left.     Compare 


2  Kings  xix.  28.  It  is  not  expressive 
of  any  judgment  to  be  infiicted  upon 
him,  but  simply  of  the  influence  exerted 
in  the  providence  of  God  in  order  to 
prompt  him  to  action.  According  to 
our  hypothesis  it  will  describe  the  means 
employed  to  induce  Antiochus  to  return 
from  Egypt  to  Palestine.  The  putting 
a  hook  in  his  jaws  conveys  the  idea  that 
it  was  as  easy  for  God  to  control  the 
movements  of  that  monarch,  as  it  is 
for  fishermen  to  curb  the  impetuosity  of 
a  marine  animal.  The  description  of 
his  army  which  follows  shows  that  it 
would  be  of  the  most  formidable  char- 
acter. It  was  to  consist  of  troops  col- 
lected from  the  most  distant  parts,  and 
accoutred  in  the  most  complete  manner. 
Auxiliaries  from  all  quarters  should 
swell  its  ranks. 

6.  "l^a ,  the  ancestor  of  the  Cimme- 
rians or  Celts  who  originally  settled  in 
the  Crimea,  whence  they  spread  them- 
selves across  the  regions  to  -the  north 
and  east  of  the  Taurian  Chersonesus, 
and  crossing  over  the  Bosphorus  took 
possession  of  Phrygia  and  Galatia. 
•^^pl^lJ^'fi^S  ,  the  house,  i.e.  the  descend- 
ants of  Togarmah  (Gen.  x.  3).  These 
were  the  Armenians  of  the  Caucasus 
south  of  Iberia  ;  see  on  chap,  xxvii.  14. 
They  are  here  mentioned  along  with  the 
Cimmerians  because  they  were  only 
separated  from  them  by  the  Euxine. 

7.  'irjil'l  *|3n  ,  a  variety  of  form  for  the 
sake  of  emphasis,  he  prepared  and  prepare, 
i.e.  be  fully  prepared.  The  commander 
is  ironically  charged  to  take  special  care 
of  his   troops,  that    they  might   be  fit 


Chap.  XXXVIII.  7-11.] 


EZEKIEL. 


191 


10 


11 


12 


guard.  After  many  days  thou  wilt  make  thy  attack,  in  the  last 
of  the  years  thou  wilt  enter  the  land  that  is  brought  back  from 
the  sword,  collected  from  many  people,  on  the  mountains  of 
Israel  which  had  been  continually  desolate  ;  which  hath  been 
brought  out  from  the  peoples,  and  dwell  all  of  them  securely. 
And  thou  wilt  go  up  ;  as  a  storm  thou  wilt  come  ;  as  a  cloud 
to  cover  the  land  thou  shalt  be,  thou  and  all  thy  armies,  and 
many  people  with  thee.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  It 
shall  also  come  to  pass  in  that  day,  that  things  shall  come  into 
thy  mind,  and  thou  wilt  devise  a  wicked  device :  And  thou  wilt 
say :  I  will  go  up  to  the  land  of  villages,  I  will  invade  those 
who  are  at  ease,  that  dwell  securely,  all  of  them  dwelling 
without  walls,  and  to  whom  are  neither  bars  nor  doors  :  To 
take  spoil  and  to  seize  booty,  to  turn  thy  hand  against  the 
inhabited  wastes,  and  against  a  people  gathered  from  the  na- 
tions, acquiring  cattle  and  substance,  dwelling  in  the  height  of 


for  action,  and  disposable  in  whatever 
quarters  he  might  see  fit  to  employ 
them. 

8.  1||;Sn ,  thou  shalt  make  ihj  attach. 
Various  interpretations  have  been  given 
of  this  word  ;  but  all  that  are  founded 
on  the  strictly  passive  signification  of 
the  verb  have  fiiiled  to  give  satisfaction. 
I  consider  it  to  be  taken  in  a  reflexive 
sense,  referring  the  action  back  to  the 
agent,  and  thereby  rendering  him  more 
prominent. 

The  period  of  the  attack  is  first  speci- 
fied very  indefinitely  :  D"'2'l  D"'^*^  ,  aflcr 
many  days,  which  may  be  either  longer 
or  shorter,  according  to  circumstances. 
Thus  in  Hos.  iii.  4,  the  phrase  denotes 
the  period  of  upwards  of  eighteen  cen- 
turies that  have  elapsed  since  the  present 
dispersion  of  the  Jews ;  but  in  1  Kings 
ii.  38,  39,  it  is  limited  to  a  period  not 
exceeding  three  years.  The  specification 
in  our  prophet,  however,  is  rendered 
more  definite  by  the  following  statement 
that  the  attack  was  to  be  made  r'^'inNS 
D'^SlSil ,  in  the  last  of  the  years,  which,  in 
prophetic  designations  of  time,  denotes 
that  which  immediately  preceded  the 
coming  of  the  Messiah.  This  again  is 
equivalent  to   Q'''?*«l  rii^nX3,  the  last 


of  the  days,  ver.  16.  A  period  of  upwards 
of  three  hundred  years  elapsed  after  the 
return  of  the  Jews  to  their  own  land, 
during  which  they  enjoyed  uninterrupted 
tranquillity,  before  they  were  persecuted 
by  Antiochus ;  which  is  quite  sufficient 
to  meet  the  claims  of  the  prophecy. 
The  mountains  of  Israel  are  said  to 
have  been  T^^Jp  >  ahcays,  i.e.  continuously 
waste,  in  reference  to  the  protracted 
period  of  the  captivity,  during  which 
they  had  been  stripped  of  their  inhabi- 
tants. 

9.  The  invasion  by  Gog  and  his  armies 
is  compared  to  a  storm,  to  express  the 
impetuosity,  noise,  and  confusion  by 
which  it  should  be  marked.  The  im- 
mense number  of  his  troops  is  aptly 
compared  to  a  cloud  sweeping  over  the 
land,  and  involving  it  in  darkness  —  a 
figure  of  common  occurrence  in  ancient 
writers.     See  tiie  Iliad,  xvi.  243. 

II.  nifiQ  y^^ii ,  a  land  of  villages,  i.e. 
mere  villages.  Our  translators  have 
added  unwulled,  but  quite  unnecessarily, 
since  this  idea  is  sufficiently  expressed 
afterwards  in  the  verse.  The  word  '^)'^S 
properly  signifies  oj)en  country,  in  contra- 
distinction to  towns  and  cities.  Com- 
pare Esther  ix.  19.     The  unsuspecting 


192 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XXXVIII.  11-17. 


13  the  land.  Sheba  and  Dedan,  and  the  merchants  of  Tarshish, 
and  all  her  young  lions,  shall  say  to  thee :  Art  thou  come  to 
take  spoil  ?  hast  thou  collected  an  assembly  to  seize  booty  ?  to 
carry  away  silver  and  gold  ?  to  take  cattle  and  substance  ?  to 

14  gain  much  spoil  ?  Therefore  prophesy,  son  of  man,  and  say 
unto  Gog :  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  :  Shalt  thou  not  know 

15  it  in  the  day  when  my  people  Israel  dwell  securely  ?  And 
thou  wilt  come  from  thy  place,  from  the  most  distant  north, 
thou  and  many  people  with  thee  ;  riders  on  horses,  all  of  them, 

16  a  great  company  and  a  great  army.  And  thou  wilt  come  up 
against  my  j^eople  Israel,  as  a  cloud  to  cover  the  land  ;  in  the 
last  of  the  days  it  shall  be  ;  and  I  will  bring  thee  against  my 
land  that  the  nations  may  know  me,  when  I  am  sanctified  in 

17  thee,  O  Gog,  in  their  sight.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah: 
Art  thou  he  of  which  I  spake  in  ancient  days  by  the  hand  of 
my  servants  the  prophets  of   Israel,  who  prophesied  in  those 

18  days,  years  ago,  to  bring  thee  against  them  ?  And  it  shall 
be  in  that  day,  in  the  day  of  the  coming  of  Gog  against  the 
land  of  Israel,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  my  fury  shall  come  up 


confidence  of  the  restored  Hebrews  is 
here  graphically  described.  What  is 
stated  may  have  literally  been  the  case, 
or  the  language  may  be  expressive  of 
the  contempt  with  which  Antiochus 
regarded  them,  conceiving  that  they 
would  fall  an  easy  prey  into  his  hands. 

12.  A  forcible  description  of  the  in- 
satiable rapacity  of  the  invader.  The 
Hebrews  are  represented  as  dwelling  in 
the  most  elevated  parts  of  the  country, 
ynxn  ^sa-J  ,  the  height  of  the  land.  The 
idea  of  7iavel,  which  signification  "I'lS^Ii 
has  in  the  Talmud,  and  which  the 
Vulgate  expresses  by  umbilicus,  is  not 
biblical,  but  is  derived  from  the  Greeks, 
who  regarded  Parnassus  as  the  highest 
part  of  their  country  —  oficpaXhs  rrjs  yrjs. 
The  same  word  occurs  Judges  ix.  37, 
where  it  is  used  in  the  same  acceptation, 
and  not  in  that  of  middle,  as  rendered  in 
the  common  version.  Ewald,  however, 
renders  Nabel,  and  Hitzig  attempts  to 
defend  it.  m'3di5  niS'^n ,  Rosenmiiller 
renders  :  ruinosa  prius  et  nunc  recedijicata. 

13.  The  object  of  the  address  here 
made  to  the  invader  seems  to  have  been 


to  enter  into  negotiations  with  him  for 
the  disposal  of  the  prey.  Jahn  states 
that  more  than  one  thousand  merchants 
joined  the  army,  having  come  for  the  pur- 
pose of  purchasing  such  Jews  as  might 
be  taken  prisoners,  p.  272.  G'^")'^D3, 
young  lions,  i.e.  taking  the  tenn  as  used 
tropically,  robust  princes  or  warriors. 
Compare  xix.  3  ;  xxxii.  2. 

14-16.  The  object  of  Jehovah  in 
bringing  Gog  into  Palestine  was  signally 
to  illustrate  his  own  divine  power  in  his 
destruction.  It  should  be  made  manifest 
to  the  nations  that  there  was  still  a  God 
in  Israel  able  to  interpose  and  save. 
For  D'^'?^'!!  f^'^l'!!!*  see  on  verse  8. 

17.  Newcome  supposes  reference  to 
be  made  here  to  unrecorded  prophecies, 
but  there  appears  no  good  ground  for 
such  supposition.  Though  no  prophecy 
may  be  found  in  which  Gog  is  specified 
by  name,  yet  there  are  many  which 
depict  signal  enemies  of  the  church  of 
God  who  should  be  subdued  and  de- 
stroyed. See  Numb.  xxiv.  17-19;  Ps. 
Ixxii.  4 ;  Ixxxix.  23  ;  Isa.  xiv.  29-32  ; 
lix.  19 ;  Joel  ii.  2.    C?'^ ,  years,  is  to  be 


Chap.  XXXVIII.  17-23.] 


EZEKIEL. 


193 


19 


20 


22 


23 


into  my  nose.  And  in  my  jealousy,  in  the  fire  of  my  indigna- 
tion, I  speak ;  Surely  in  that  day  there  shall  be  a  great  quaking 
in  the  land  of  Israel.  And  the  fishes  of  the  sea,  and  the  fowls 
of  heaven,  and  the  beast  of  the  field,  and  every  creeping  thing 
that  creepeth  upon  the  ground,  and  all  men  that  are  upon  the 
face  of  the  earth,  shall  tremble  at  my  presence ;  and  the  moun- 
tains shall  be  thrown  down,  and  the  precipices  shall  fall,  and  all 
walls  shall  fall  to  the  ground.  And  I  will  call  against  him  to 
all  my  mountains  a  sword,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah ;  the  sword 
of  each  man  shall  be  against  his  brother.  And  I  will  punish 
him  with  pestilence  and  with  blood,  and  I  will  rain  upon  him 
and  upon  his  armies,  and  upon  the  many  people  that  are  with 
him,  heavy  overflowing  showers,  and  great  hailstones,  fire  and 
brimstone.  And  I  will  magnify  myself  and  sanctify  myself, 
and  become  known  in  the  sight  of  many  nations,  and  they  shall 
know  that  I  am  Jehovah. 


connected  with  C^NSSf^ ,  who  prophesied 
years  ago. 

18-20.  Earthquakes,  which  have  been 
of  frequent  occurrence  in  Palestine,  are 
employed  by  the  prophets  as  symbols  of 
political  revolutions,  in  which  everything 
is  shaken  and  convulsed.  Compare  Rev. 
xvi.  18.  Such  should  be  the  tremendous 
force  of  the  concussion  which  should 
accompany  the  invasion  of  Gog,  that 
universal  nature  is  represented  as  aifccted 
by  it.  By  a  strong  anthropopathy, 
Jehovah  declares  his  holy  displeasure 
with  the  expedition. 

20.  f^^SI^"!'?'^  1  the  precipices  or  steep 
terraces  which  were  raised  on  the  sides 
of  the  mountains,  to  prevent  the  earth 
from  being  washed  down  by  the  rains, 
and  on  which  the  vines  were  cultivated. 
The  root  is  preserved  in  the  Arabic 
.i^yto  ascend  by  steps. 


&' 


21-2.3.  The  slaughter  of  the  army  of 
Gog  should  be  immense.  His  military 
should  be  so  desperate,  that  they  should 
cut  right  and  left,  irrespective  of  friend 
or  foe.  Fairbairn  is  mistaken  in  sup- 
posing that  the  language  is  not  expressive 
of  mutual  slaughter.  His  interpretation, 
that  God  would  meet  sword  with  sword 
in  tlie  hand  of  his  people,  however 
ingenious,  is  not  borne  out  by  Hebrew 
usage;  whereas  '^'^H'^?  ^"^"^  is  a  common 
phrase  for  one  another.  Jehovah  is  rep- 
resented as  overthrowing  the  enemy  by 
the  most  fearful  combination  of  the 
elements.  ti'^3aPX  ,  kail,  stones  of  ice. 
Arab.  ijiA:i.| .  Compare  Rev.  xvi. 
21.  The  language  being  figurative, 
it  is  not  so  evident  as  Rosenmiiller 
would  have  it  (clarissime  patet)  that 
the  reference  cannot  be  to  Antiochus 
Epiphanes. 


17 


194  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  XXXIX.  2-7. 


CHAPTER    XXXIX. 

A  continuation  of  the  prophecy  against  Gog.  The  awful  judgments  of  God  are  further 
denounced  against  the  furious  enemy  of  his  people,  1-7.  So  complete  would  be  his 
overthrow,  that  the  weapons  left  in  the  field  should  long  supply  the  Israelites  with  fuel, 
8-10;  and  a  long  period  should  be  required  for  burying  the  dead  bodies  of  the  slain, 
11-16.  An  invitation  is  then  given  to  the  birds  of  prey  and  the  wild  beasts  to  come  and 
partake  of  the  sacriticial  feast  prepared  for  tlicm  by  the  slaugliter  of  the  enemy,  17-22. 
The  chapter  concludes  with  promises  of  future  good  to  chastised  and  repentant  Israel, 
23-29. 

1  Akd   thou,  son  of  man,  prophesy  against  Gog,  and  say :    Thus 

saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :    Behokl,  I  am  against  thee,  O  Gog, 

2  prince  of  Rosh,  Meshecli,  and  Tubal :  And  will  turn  thee  back, 
and  lead  thee  about,  and  cause  thee  to  come  up  from  the  farthest 

3  north,  and  bring  thee  against  the  mountains  of  Israel.  And  I 
will  smite  thy  bow  from  thy  left  hand,  and  make  thine  arrows 

4  to  fall  out  of  thy  right  hand.  Upon  the  mountains  of  Israel 
thou  shalt  fall,  thovt  and  all  thy  armies,  and  the  people  that  are 
with  thee ;    I  will   give  thee  for  food  to  the  bird  of  prey  of 

5  every  wing,  and  to  the  beast  of  the  field.  Thou  shalt  fall  in 
the  open  field,  for  I  have  spoken  it,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah. 

6  And  I  will  send  fire  on  Magog,  and  on  those  dwelling  securely 

7  in  the  isles,  and  they  shall  know  that  I  am  Jehovah.  And  I 
will  make  my  holy  name  known  in  the  midst  of  my  people 
Israel;  and  I  will  profane  my  holy  name  no  more;  and  the 
nations  shall  know  that  I  Jehovah  am  the  Holy  One  of  Israel. 

2.  ^(■'ni^airi'l.     Seeonchap.xxxviii.4.  \^^  sa,  instigatur ;  Turkish  UijLwLw, 
rj-^nxiad  ,  a   ottoI   Ae7.     Whatever  ap-  sasat,  asimim  vocare  ad  potum.     The  dec- 
parent  connection    there   may   at  first  laration  bears  that  Jehovah  would  induce 
6ight  appear   to  be   between   this  verb,  Qog  to  leave  his  position,  and  undertake 
and  the  numeral  a'J;J ,  six,  the  significa-  his  expedition  against  Palestine. 
tion  thus  suggested  affords  nothing  suit-  3.  Tf]^'^  ,   tJnj   boiv.     The   Scythians 
able  to  the  context.     I  do  not  scruple,  .^vere  renowned  as  archers, 
therefore,  to  adopt  the  derivation   pro-  4   5.  gee  on  verses  17-20. 
posed   by  Ludovic  de  Dieu,    from    the  6.  By  the  inhabitants  Qi*N  joX-^Aeisfes, 

Ethiopic  hci>ri©  ,  to  go  about,  with  ''^^'^  "^^^"^  t^o^'^  dwelling  in  Greece  and 

the  coasts  of  the  Euxinc,  who  took  part 

the  Picl  signification,  to  cause  to  ivander.  w-ith  Gog,  and  helped  to  swell  his  armies. 

This  derivation  is  approved  by  Gesenius,  They  were   to  be  involved  in  intestine 

Winer,  and  Rosenmiiller,   and   is   sup-  wars,  and  thus  destroyed.     War  is  fre- 

ported  by  the  LXX.  Ka6o57iyfiaw  (re,  or  qucntly  compared  to  fire,  on  account  of 

as   the    Complutensian   reading  has  it  its  all-devouring  action. 

icaTo|co  <re,    and   the   Targum   "S^as ,  7.  When  the  Jews  obtained  the  mas- 

errare  te  faciam.     Compare  the  Arabic  tery  over  their  ferocious  and  formidable 


Chap.  XXXIX.  7-14.] 


EZEKIEL. 


195 


8  Behold,  it  cometh,  and  taketh  place,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  it 

9  is  the  day  of  which  I  have  spoken.  Then  shall  the  inhabitants 
of  the  cities  of  Israel  go  forth,  and  burn,  and  set  on  fii'e  the 
weajions,  both  the  buckler  and  the  helmet,  with  the  bows  and 
arrows,  the  hand-spear  and  the  lance ;  and  make  fire  with  them 

10  seven  years.  And  they  shall  not  take  wood  from  the  field,  nor 
hew  it  from  the  forests  ;  for  they  shall  kindle  fire  with  the 
weapons ;  and  they  shall  spoil  those  who  spoiled  them,  and 
plunder  those  who  plundered  them,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah. 

11  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day  I  will  give  to  Gog  a  burying- 

place  there  in  Israel,  the  valley  of  the  passengers,  on  the  east 
of  the  sea;  and  it  shall  stop  the  passengers;  and  there  shall  they 
bury  Gog,  and  all  his  multitude,  and  shall  call  it :  the  valley 

12  OF  THE  MULTITUDE  OF  GoG.   And  the  house  of  Israel  shall  bury 

13  them,  in  order  to  purify  the  country,  seven  months.  And  all 
the  people  of  the  land  shall  bury  them,  and  it  shall  be  to  them 
for  a  name  in  the  day  when  I  shall  be  glorified,  saith  the  Lord 


enemy,  it  would  be  manifest  to  the  world 
that  Jehovah,  whose  people  they  were, 
was  a  God  able  to  deliver  them  and 
alone  entitled  to  worship  and  obedience. 
When  God  is  said  to  pollute  his  name, 
the  meaning  is  that  he  permits  it  to  be 
polluted. 

8.  Hr^nSI  nX2  iiStl  is  very  expres- 
sive, denoting  the  absolute  eertainty  of 
the  event. 

9,  10.  On  the  discomfiture  of  the 
Gogites,  they  would  leave  their  armor 
on  the  field  of  battle,  which  the  Hebrews 
observing,  would  make  a  bonfire  of  it, 
and  have  such  a  quantity  left,  that  they 
would  be  under  no  neeessi  ty  for  a  long 
time  to  repair  to  the  woods  for  fuel. 
Seven  years  is  a  hyperbolical  term,  de- 
rived from  the  intensive  significancy 
of  the  number  in  Hebrew  usage,  and 
designed  to  express  a  very  long  time. 
Scholz  quotes  here  from  Mariana,  a 
Spanish  historian,  who  states  that  after 
the  Spaniards  had  gained  a  victory  over 
the  Saracens  a.d.  1212,  they  found  such 
a  quantity  of  arms  that  they  served 
them  four  years  for  fuel. 

11.  "ISJ?  Dd"Dipp ,  a  place  there  of 
burial,  by  hypallage  for  01!3  ^2j5  Dipp  , 


a  place  of  burial  there,  in  order  to  give 
prominence  to  the  locality.  Instead  of 
obtaining  Palestine  as  a  conquest,  as 
Gog  had  expected,  all  that  he  should 
find  would  be  a  grave.  The  place  is 
denominated  C'^nyfl  "'J,  the  valley  of 
the  passengers,  in  reference  to  its  jjosition 
on  the  east  side  of  the  Dead  Sea,  along 
which  lay  the  high  road  for  traffic  to 
Petra  and  Eziongeber.  It  would  thus 
be  notoriously  public,  and,  arresting 
travellers  in  their  progress,  would  compel 
them  to  reflect  on  the  signal  judgment 
inflicted  on  the  enemies  of  the  covenant 
people,  f^^^n  refers  to  the  stopping 
of  the  passengers  by  the  multitude  of 
graves ;  and  not  of  their  noses  by  the 
stench,  as  has  eiToneously  been  supposed. 

Compare  the  Arabic  a  iif  "^  j  impedire 
aliquem  ah  aliqua  re. 

The  proximity  of  the  place  to  the 
desolated  cities  of  the  plain  wotild 
remind  men  of  the  vengeance  taken  on 
the  flagitious  sinners  who  had  perished 
there.  The  appropriate  name  of  the 
valley  should  be  515  ^SH  !>5"'ij ,  the  valley 
of  the  multitude  of  Gog. 

12-14.  Seven  months  are  again   used 


196 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XXXIX.  14-18. 


14 


15 


16 
17 


18 


Jehovah.  And  they  shall  select  men  of  continuance  who  shall 
go  through  the  land,  burying,  with  those  who  pass  through, 
them,  that  remain  upon  the  face  of  the  land,  to  purify  it :  at  the 
end  of  seven  months  they  shall  search.  And  the  passengers 
passing  through  the  land,  when  one  seeth  the  bone  of  a  man,  he 
shall  set  up  a  sign  beside  it,  until  those  who  are  burying  bury  it 
in  the  valley  of  the  multitude  of  Gog.  And  the  name  of  the 
city  shall  be  Hamonah  ;  and  they  shall  purify  the  land.  And 
thou,  son  of  man,  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Say  unto  birds 
of  every  wing,  and  to  every  beast  of  the  field :  Assemble  your- 
selves and  come,  gather  yourselves  on  every  side  to  my  sacrifice 
which  I  sacrifice  for  you,  a  great  sacrifice  upon  the  mountains 
of  Israel,  and  eat  flesh,  and  drink  blood.  Ye  shall  eat  the  flesh 
of  heroes,  and  drink  the  blood  of  the  princes  of  the  earth,  of 
rams,  of  lambs,  and  of  he-goats,  of  bullocks,  all  of  them  failings 


hypertolically  for  a  long  time,  to  denote 
that  the  number  of  dead  bodies  would 
be  sueh  that  a  considerable  length  of 
time  would  be  required  for  burying 
them.  Not  only  would  the  atmosphere 
be  polluted  with  the  stench,  but  the 
land  was  to  bo  regarded  as  morally 
defiled,  so  that  the  most  prompt  and 
eflfbctive  measures  were  adopted  to  have 
the  very  skeletons  removed.  T^^n  "^^'f^i 
men  of  continiiaiice :  i.e.  men  whose  con- 
stant employment  it  should  be  to  collect 
and  bury  whatever  remains  they  might 
find.  The  meaning  of  verse  14,  at  which 
some  interpreters  have  greatly  stumbled, 
seems  to  be  simply  this,  that  those  who 
were  uninterruptedly  occupied  with  the 
removal  of  the  dead  corpses  were  to  be 
assisted  by  such  as  were  occasionally 
passing  through  the  country,  that  by 
their  united  exertions  a  speedy  riddance 
might  be  effected.  All  the  inhabitants 
were  to  combine  their  efforts  for  this 
object.  The  computation  of  Fairbairn, 
that  a  million  of  men  would  be  daily 
eraploj'cd,  exclusive  of  the  Sabbaths, 
and  that  if  each  buried  but  two  a  day, 
we  should  have  an  aggregate  of  three 
hundred  and  sixty  million  corpses,  is 
merely  conjured  up  as  a  bugbear  to 
frighten  the  reader  out  of  all  disposition 
to  admit  the  literal  interpretation. 


15.  Should  any  one  accidentally  dis- 
cover a  bone,  he  was  not  to  touch  it, 
lest  he  should  be  defiled,  but  was  to  set 
a  mark  by  it,  that  it  might  be  removed 
by  the  proper  person  appointed  for  the 
purpose. 

16.  Some  city  in  the  neighborhood 
was  to  receive  the  name  nsiafl  "PS' ,  the 
city  of  Ilamonah,  i.e.  of  the  multitude, 
to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  the  signal 
defeat  which  the  enemy  had  sustained. 

17-22.  Not  satisfied  with  having 
described  the  burial  of  the  Gogites,  the 
prophet  takes  a  view  of  them  as  still 
lying  on  the  battle-field,  and  invites  the 
birds  of  prey  and  the  wild  beasts  to 
come  to  a  sacrificial  repast  on  their  dead 
bodies.  To  enhance  the  description,  the 
guests  are  represented  as  being  filled 
not  only  with  the  flesh  of  tlic  victims  in 
general,  but  with  that  of  the  horses  and 
the  charioteers.  ^5*1 ,  a  rider  or  char- 
ioteer. See  on  Isa.  xxi.  7,  9.  The  am- 
plification which  follows  is  quite  in  the 
style  of  Ezekiel.  The  entire  passage  is 
strikingly  parallel  with  Rev.  xix.  17-19. 
Compare  Isa.  xviii.  6 ;  xxxiv.  6, 8 ;  which 
are  evidently  founded  on  the  ancient 
custom  of  feasting  on  sacrifices. 

18.  Though  d-i-.Q,  6m//s,  which  Hou- 
bigant  and  Newcome  adopt  after  the 
LXX.  and  Arabic  versions,  may  seem 


Chap.  XXXIX.  2G-29.]  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  197 

19  of  Bashan.     And  ye  shall  eat  fat  to  satiety,  and  drink  blood  to 

20  inebriation,  of  my  sacrifice  which  I  sacrifice  for  you.  And  ye 
shall  satiate  yourselves  at  my  table  with  horses  and  charioteers, 

21  heroes  and  all  the  men  of  war,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah.  And 
I  will  set  my  glory  among  the  nations,  and  all  the  nations 
shall  see  my  judgments  which  I  have  executed,  and  my  hand 

22  which  I  have  laid  upon  them.  And  the  house  of  Israel  shall 
know  that  1  Jehovah  am  their  God  from  that  day  and  forward. 

23  And  the  nations  shall  know  that  the  house  of  Israel  went  into 
captivity  through  their  iniquity,  because  they  rebelled  against 
me,  and  I  hid  my  face  from  them,  and  delivered  them  into  the 
hand  of  their  adversaries,  and  they  fell  all  of  them  by  the  sword. 

24  According  to  their  impurity  and  according  to  their  sins  have  I 

25  done  unto  them,  and  I  hid  my  face  from  them.  Nevertheless, 
thus  saith  the  Lord  Jeliovah :  Now  I  will  reverse  the  captivity 
of  Jacob,  and  will  have  mercy  upon  the  whole  house  of  Israel, 

26  and  will  be  jealous  for  my  holy  name :  After  they  shall  have 
borne  their  shame  and  all  their  iniquity  by  which  they  have 
rebelled   against  me,  when  they  dwelt  securely  in    their  own 

27  land  and  none  made  them  afraid.  When  I  have  brought  them 
back  from  the  people,  and  gathered  them  from  the  countries  of 
their  enemies,  and  am  sanctified  in  them  in  the  sight  of  many 

28  nations :  Tlien  they  shall  know  that  I  Jehovah  am  their  God, 
in  that  I  caused  them  to  be  taken  into  captivity  among  the 
heathen,  but  have  gathered  them  into  their  own  land,  and  have 

29  left  none  of  them  there  any  more.  And  I  will  no  more  hide 
my  face  from  them,  when  I  have  poured  out  my  Spirit  upon 
the  house  of  Israel,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah. 

more  appropriate  in  such  connection  tradictory  of  such  passages  as  xliii.  10, 
than  nins, /amis,  yet  it  in  all  probability  11;  xxxvi.  31.  The  meaning  is,  that 
originated  in  the  want  of  attention  to  when  tlie  Hebrews  had  suffered  sutficient 
the  fact  that  Oi";Q  occurs  immediately  punishment  for  all  their  acts  of  rebellion, 
after.  The  guests  were  to  be  amply  Jehovah  would  restore  them  to  the  en- 
supplied.  Nothing  should  be  wanting  joyment  of  their  ancient  privileges,  and 
that  could  enhance  the  sumptuousness  prove  himself  to  be  their  covenant  God. 
of  the  banquet.  The  crowning  mercy  of  all  would  be  the 
26-29.  ^'^}^.'  There  is  no  necessity  outpouring  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  by  which 
for  changing  the  punctuation  into  'l^S".  they  would  be  prepared  to  serve  him  ac- 
Indced  it  would  introduce  an  idea  con-  ceptably  and  devotedly  for  the  future. 

The  deliverance  of  the  Hebrews  was  wrought  out  in  a  most  remarkable  manner. 
Mattathias,  raising  the  standard  of  patriotism,  called  around  him  the  pious  portion 
of  his  countrymen.     His  party  increased  rapidly,  till  they  became  a  considerable 
17* 


198  EZEKIEL.  [Chaps.  XL. - XLVin. 

army.  He  appointed  his  third  and  bravest  son,  Judas,  military  commander,  by 
whom  the  Syrian  generals  that  were  sent  against  him  were  defeated.  In  battle 
after  battle  he  proved  victorious.  Even  the  army  which  Lysias  sent  into  Judea 
could  not  stand  before  him.  Though  composed  of  forty  thousand  foot  and  seven 
thousand  cavalry,  and  increased  by  auxiliaries  from  the  provinces,  it  proved  power- 
less before  him.  Putting  the  enemy  to  flight,  he  secured  immense  booty.  The 
like  success  attended  him  the  following  yeai",  when  he  defeated  an  army  of  sixty 
thousand  men,  made  himself  master  of  several  strong  cities  ;  and,  retaking 
Jerusalem,  purified  the  temple  and  restored  its  solemn  services.  His  brothers 
Simon  and  Jonathan  proved  themselves  worthy  successors  of  this  devoted  patriot ; 
the  independence  of  the  Jews  was  finally  secured,  and  the  royal  dignity  vested  in 
the  Asmonsean  family,  in  which  it  continued  till  the  time  of  Herod  the  Great. 


CHAPTERS  XL.-XLVIII. 

The  last  nine  chapters  of  this  Book  contain  a  remarkable  vision,  in  which  Ezekiel 
was  furnished  with  an  ideal  representation  of  the  Jewish  state  as  about  to  be 
restored  after  the  captivity.  The  principal  subjects  connected  with  that  state 
having  been  the  temple  and  the  teniplc-worship,  the  prophet  presents  these  to 
view  with  all  the  minuteness  and  circumstantiality  of  detail  which  fonn  so 
marked  a  characteristic  of  his  style. 

That  it  was  the  restoration  of  the  material  temple,  then  in  ruins,  that  the  prophet 
had  in  his  eye,  is  the  only  liypothesis  wliich  fully  meets  the  exigency  of  the  case; 
the  hopes  of  such  a  restoration  liaving  been  rendered  prominent  in  the  minds  of 
his  captive  coimtrymen  by  the  preceding  prophecies  which  he  had  delivered  to 
them.  It  supersedes  the  necessity  of  having  recourse  to  fanciful  and  arbitrary 
interpretations,  removes  all  contrariety  between  the  delineation  in  the  vision 
relating  to  the  priests,  sacrifices,  etc.,  and  the  doctrine  of  the  New  Testament 
respecting  the  complete  abolition  of  the  Levitical  worship  by  the  institution  of 
the  priesthood  and  sacrifice  of  Christ;  and  renders  nugatory  all  expectations  of 
a  literal  i'ulfilment  in  the  yet  distant  future.  What  was  wanted  was  a  sanctuary 
that  should  be  serviceable  during  what  might  still  remain  of  the  period  destined 
for  the  existence  of  the  old  economy.  When  that  economy  slioukl  wax  old  and 
vanish  away,  there  was  to  be  an  end  of  all  merely  external  circumstances. 
Temple-worship,  priesthood,  and  sacrifices  should  cease;  and  a  spiritual  temple, 
a  spiritual  priesthood,  and  spiritual  sacrifices  were  alone  to  be  acceptable  to  the 
Most  High  (John  iv.  21-24;  1  Cor.  vi.  19;  1  Pet.  ii.  5). 

The  import  of  the  vision,  in  the  main,  is  this :  that  God  would  in  due  time  accomplish 
the  restoration  of  his  exiled  people  to  the  land  of  their  fathers;  effect  the  recon- 
struction of  their  ruined  temple,  and  the  reorganization  of  its  religious  services; 
and  bless  them  with  manifest  tokens  of  his  favor.  At  the  time  it  was  granted, 
the  Hebrews  were  in  a  state  of  the  lowest  depression  in  Babylon.  Fourteen  years 
had  elapsed  since  the  destruction  of  their  sacred  edifice :  and  nothing  could  have 
been  better  calculated  to  revive  their  drooping  hopes,  re-invigorate  their  confi- 
dence in  their  covenant  God,  and  encourage  them  to  return  to  Palestine  when 
the  hour  of  their  liberation  should  arrive,  than  tlie  brilliant  prospect  of  the  resto- 
ration of  their  ci\il  and  religious  privileges  which  the  prophet  here  holds  out  to 
their  view. 


Chaps.  XL- XL  Vm.  EZEKIEL.  199 

The  circumstance  that  in  many  points  the  city,  temple,  and  services  do  not  exactly 
accord  with  the  state  of  tilings  as  existing  before  the  captivity,  forms  no  valid 
objection  against  the  literal  interpretation.  The  differences  may  have  been 
intended  to  a  certain  extent  to  wean  the  Jews  from  the  idea  of  the  immutability 
of  their  ancient  constitution,  and  thus  prepare  them  for  the  complete  change 
that  was  to  be  effected  by  the  introduction  of  the  new  dispensation  which  was 
speedily  to  follow. 

The  statement  made  by  Iliivernick,  that  the  post-exilian  temple  and  its  ordi- 
nances were  not  restored  according  to  the  pattern  furnished  by  Ezekiel,  ia 
altogether  a  gratuitous  assumption.  It  is  a  point  on  which  we  have  no  positive 
historical  data  to  enable  us  to  decide.  The  discrepancies,  however,  that  have 
been  detected  between  the  ancient  temple  and  that  described  by  Ezekiel,  are 
non-essential ;  all  the  leading  points  connected  with  the  sacred  theocracy  being 
carefully  preserved  and  prominently  brought  out. 

The  vision  is  not  to  be  regarded  as  merely  a  description  of  what  the  prophet  re- 
membered of  Solomon's  temple  ;  nor  are  the  discrepancies  existing  between  the 
two  editiccs  to  be  attributed  to  defectiveness  of  memory  on  his  part.  It  was 
altogether  a  disclosure  to  his  view  of  something  new,  symbolizing,  as  it  waa 
eminentl.v  calculated  to  do,  the  renovated  condition  of  the  Jewish  state.  The 
Holy  Spirit  doubtless  availed  himself  of  the  reminiscences  of  Ezekiel,  whicb 
must  have  been  very  vivid  in  their  character,  for  the  purpose  of  furnishing  an 
ideal  model  of  the  new  temple,  and  imparted  to  him  such  additional  particulars 
as  were  necessary  to  render  it  complete.  His  imagination  was  so  controlled  and 
regulated  in  its  creative  and  combining  operations  by  the  superintending  Spirit 
of  inspiration,  that  he  should  present  no  ideas  but  those  which  it  was  the  will 
of  God  should  be  exhibited  to  the  people. 

The  sacred  associations  which  the  prophet  had  carried  with  him  into  the  land  of  hia 
captivity  would  be  especially  dear  to  him,  from  the  interest  which  he  must  have 
taken  in  them  when,  as  a  priest,  he  ministered  in  his  official  capacity  in  the 
temple.  What  more  natural  than  that  he  should  have  spoken  of  the  different 
objects  as  if  he  had  seen  them  but  yesterday?  They  must  have  continually 
floated  in  his  mind's  ej'c  during  his  absence  from  Jerusalem,  so  that  when  he 
was  mentally  transported  thither  they  could  not  but  rush  into  his  mind  with  all 
the  freshness  of  pre-existing  realit}'.  With  what  enthusiasm  may  we  conceive 
him  to  have  caught  the  first  glance  of  the  magnificent  structure  presented  in 
vision  to  his  view!  With  what  interest  he  must  have  entered  the  eastern  porch, 
and  recognized  the  altar  and  other  parts  of  the  sacred  building!  How  familiar 
to  him  must  have  been  every  object  that  met  his  mental  eye!  With  what  atten- 
tion he  must  have  listened  to  the  communications  made  by  his  celestial  conductor 
while  detaUing  to  him  the  various  particulars  relating  to  the  measures,  the  parts, 
and  the  ordinances  of  the  temple! 

Let  now  any  reader  of  ordinary  intelligence  turn  up  the  description  of  the  vision,  and 
let  him  be  asked  what  is  the  impression  which  it  naturally  makes  upon  him, 
and  which  he  finds  it  impossible  to  dismiss  from  his  mind,  and  he  will  candidly 
own  that  it  is  that  of  a  literal  temple.  The  more  he  studies  it,  and  the  more  he 
enters  into  the  minutiae,  with  the  greater  force  does  the  conviction  rivet  itself  in 
his  mind.  Talk  to  him  about  spiritual  and  mystical  meanings,  j^ou  puzzle  and 
bewilder  him.  He  may  admire  your  ingenuity,  and  be  brought  to  be  half-in- 
clined to  embrace  your  theory,  but  he  cannot,  after  all,  rid  himself  of  the  notion 
of  a  material  building  and  literal  ordinances.  Turn  the  subject  in  which  way 
soever  he  may,  it  always  comes  back  upon  him  in  this  shape.  A  temple  the 
Jews  had  possessed.  It  had  been  the  glory  of  Jertxsalem.  A  restoration  of  it 
had  been  promised.    It  was  what  was  wanted  to  re-constitute  their  polity,  which 


200  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  [Chaps.  XL.  -  XLVIII. 

had  been  interruptecl,  but  not  abrogated.  The  essential  parts  of  that  polity  are 
all  minutely  delineated.  Could  they  have  been  intended  to  remain  purely  ideal? 
Were  the  captives  on  their  return  not  to  set  about  attempting  to  realize  them  in 
the  outward  world?  Would  they  have  been  justified  if  they  had  not?  And  is  it 
not  a  fact  that  on  their  return  to  their  metropolis,  they  did,  with  the  divine 
approval,  adopt  such  measures  as  lay  in  their  power  for  carrying  the  design  into 
effect?  See  Ezra  iii.  That  they  carried  oat  the  plan  here  furnished  them  to  its 
full  extent,  is  a  point  which,  as  already  stated,  we  have  no  means  of  positively 
determining.  If  they  failed  in  doing  so,  it  may  have  been  attributable  to  cir- 
cumstances over  which  they  had  no  control.  In  neither  case  does  the  circum- 
stance affect  the  divine  authority  of  the  prophet. 

So  far,  then,  as  the  temple  and  its  ordinances  arc  concerned,  the  vision  is  to  be 
interpreted  literallj".  With  respect  to  the  waters,  etc.  (chap,  xlvii.),  it  is  altogether 
different.  Here  there  was  nothing  left  for  the  Jews  to  do  in  bringing  about  the 
realization  of  the  vision.  Having  left  the  temple,  the  seat  of  the  divine  resi- 
dence and  the  source  whence  blessings  were  to  flow  to  the  restored  Hebrew 
nation,  the  prophet  is  carried  in  vision  southward  into  the  regions  of  the  Dead 
Sea,  which  had  been  noted  for  everything  that  was  forbidden  and  noxious  in  its 
aspect — the  very  embodiment  of  barrenness  and  desolation.  These  were  now 
to  be  converted  into  fertility  and  beauty.  As  in  their  previous  condition  they 
were  strikingly  symbolical  of  the  spiritually  unproductive  and  abhorrent  char- 
acter of  idolatrous  Israel,  so  they  M'cre  now  to  serve  as  images  of  the  renewed 
state  of  things  when  God  should  bring  back  his  people,  and,  according  to  his 
promises,  bless  them  by  conferring  upon  them  abundantly  the  rich  tokens  of  his 
regard.  Instead  of  a  barren  wilderness,  they  should  now  become  as  the  garden 
of  Eden.  B}'  the  copious  effusions  of  the  influences  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  he  would 
restore  his  church  to  spiritual  life,  and  render  her  instrumental  in  diffusing 
blessings  to  the  world  around.  The  chapter  thus  contains,  in  the  garb  of  the 
usual  figurative  language  of  prophecy,  representations  in  exact  keeping  with 
what  we  read,  Isa.  xii.  .5;  xliii.  18-21;  xliv.  3,  4;  Joel  iii.  18;  Zcch.  xiv.  8.  The 
abundance  and  beneficial  qualities  of  the  waters  are  strongly  marked,  and 
form  the  most  prominent  feature  in  the  picture. 

The  only  apparently  plausiijle  objection  tliat  can  be  taken  to  the  literal  interpretation 
of  the  temple,  is  founded  on  the  dimensions  assigned  to  it  (chap.  xlii.  16-20).  It 
remains,  however,  to  be  settled  whether  7'eeds  be  the  measure  there  intended; 
and  whether,  supposing  this  to  be  the  case,  the  language  be  not  susceptible  of 
another  construction.  (See  note  on  the  passage. )  Nor  is  there  an_y  inconsistency 
in  interpreting  one  part  of  the  vision  literally  and  the  other  symbolicallj'.  The 
cases  are  perfectly  different.  In  the  one,  a  literal  temple  was  required  to  meet 
the  circumstances  of  the  exiled  Hebrews;  in  the  other,  though  outwardly 
restored,  the  temple  and  temple-worship  woidd  still  have  left  them  in  a  state  of 
spiritual  destitution,  if  they  had  not  received  the  blessing  from  on  high.  The 
rich  and  abundant  communication  of  this  blessing  we  conceive  to  be  beautifully 
set  forth  under  the  image  of  a  river  issuing  forth  from  the  divine  presence  in 
the  new  temple;  and,  increasing  as  it  flows  in  the  direction  of  the  Dead  Sea, 
spreading  life  and  fertility  wherever  it  comes.    (See  on  chapter  xlvii.) 


Chap.  XL.  1,  2.] 


EZEKIEL. 


201 


CHAPTER  XL. 

Ezekiel,  conducted  in  vision  within  sight  of  Jerusalem,  then  lying  in  ruins,  is  to  be  con- 
ceived of  as  set  down  on  the  north  side  of  Moriah,  whence  he  has  exhibited  to  his  view 
the  structure  of  a  city  on  the  south,  with  its  temple,  gates,  porches,  chambers,  windows, 
arches,  tables,  etc. 

I  do  not  deem  it  necessary  to  occupy  the  time  of  my  readers  by  entering  minutely  into 
matters  of  architectural  detail ;  for  whatever  interest  they  might  have  for  those  who 
study  this  portion  of  the  sacred  writings  merely  for  professional  purposes,  they  would 
contribute  but  little  to  the  edification  cf  the  general  reader.  Nor,  for  the  same  rea- 
son, shall  I  dwell  ujion  the  etymological  import  of  all  the  terms  which  occur  in  these 
chapters.  The  curious  in  such  matters  I  refer  to  Botcher's  Proben  Alt-Testamentlicher 
Schrifterkla.rung,  Leipzig,  1833. 

1  In  the  five  and  twentieth  year  of  our  captivity,  at  the  beginning 

of  the  year,  on  the  tentli  of  the  month,  in  the  fourteenth  year 
after  the  city  had  been  smitten,  on  that  very  day  the  hand  of 

2  Jeliovah  was  upon  me,  and  he  brought  me  thither.  In  visions 
of  God  lie  brought  me  into  tlie  land  of  Israel,  and  set  me  upon 
a  very  high  mountain,  and  upon  it  was,  as  it  were,  the  frame  of 


1.  Some  difficulty  has  been  found  in 
determining  wliat  is  meant  by  ^Si"^ 
•^^^•1 » the  herjinninrj  of  the  year,  in  which 
the  vision  was  {^ranted.  In  all  proba- 
bility, however,  it  was  that  of  the  Jewish 
ecclesiastical  year,  the  first  of  the  month 
Nisan,  or  Abib.  Ewald  and  Fairbairn 
very  rationally  conclude  that  the  term 
rssny  ,  thither,  originated  in  the  thoughts 
and  feelings  of  the  prophet  being  directed 
towards  Jerusalem  as  their  centre.  See 
the  epexegesis  vcr.  3.  By  i^^iT^.  1^ ,  the 
hand  of  Jehovah,  we  are  to  understand 
the  impulse  by  which  the  prophet  was 
mentally  transported  from  the  Chcbar 
to  the  land  of  his  fathers.  Compare 
chap.  iii.  14. 

2.  For,  D-^npX  niii'^a,  visions  of  God, 
compare  chapters  viii.  3 ;  xliii.  3.  Both 
these  substantives  are  strictly  plural, 
comprehending  the  various  parts  of  the 
scenic  representation,  and  are  not  to  be 
interpreted  of  a  plural  of  excellency, 
sublimity,  or  the  like,  as  proposed  by 
some.  The  objects  were  presented  to 
the  mental  view  of  Ezekiel  in  a  waking 
state,  and  arc  thus  distinguishable  from 


those  which  were  communicated  in 
dreams.  The  images  exhibited  possessed 
all  the  vividness  and  distinctness  of  out- 
ward objects.  Gesenius  renders,  visions 
from  God,  but  this  is  unnecessary,  since 
it  must  at  once  be  obvious  that  the  word 
is  designed  to  express,  not  visions  of 
which  God  was  the  object,  but  those  of 
which  he  was  the  author.  ^Jt^  f^jDS  "tt^ , 
an  exceeding  high  mountain.  Compare 
for  the  phraseology  6pos  v^7]Xhu  xiav, 
Matt.  iv.  8.  Miehaelis  and  some  other 
commentators  consider  the  term  moun- 
tain to  be  here  used  metaphorically,  as 
in  Isa.  ii.  2,  to  denote  the  superiority  of 
Jerusalem  in  a  moral  ])oiut  of  view.  The 
specification  of  the  heightof  the  mountain 
is  not  to  be  pressed,  otiierwise  we  cannot 
suppose  the  prophet  to  have  been  mentally 
located  at  Jerusalem.  Neither  Mount 
Zion,  Mount  Moriah,  nor  even  Mount 
Olivet  can  lay  claim  to  such  a  distinction. 
Mayer  observes  that,  in  comparison  with 
the  mountains  of  Switzerland,  Moriah 
would  be  regarded  as  an  inconsiderable 
height.  Still  its  altitude  is  more  than 
two  thousand  feet  above  the  level  of  the 


202 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XL.  2-4. 


a  city  southward.  And  he  brought  me  thither,  and  behold,  a 
mau  whose  appearance  was  as  tlie  appearance  of  brass,  with  a 
a  line  of  flax  in  his  hand,  and  a  measuring  reed ;  and  he  stood 
in  the  gate.  And  the  man  spake  unto  me  :  Sou  of  man,  see 
with  thine  eyes,  and  hear  with  thine  ears,  and  set  thy  heart  to 
all  that  I  will  show  thee ;  for  in  order  that  I  might  show  it  to 
thee  art  thou  brought  hither :  declare  all  that  thou  seest  to  the 
house  of  Israel.  And,  behold,  a  wall  without  the  house  round 
about,  and  in  the  hand  of  the  man  a  measuring  reed,  six  cubits 
by  a  cubit  and  a  handbreadth  ;  and  he  measured  the  breadth  of 


Mediterranean,  and  must  have  appeai'ed 
very  high  to  the  prophet,  situated  as  he 
had  been  on  the  plains  of  Babylon.  7iJ 
occasions  no  difficulty,  and  requires  no 
conjectural  emendation  into  '-?.  The 
preposition  is  sometimes  used  in  a  less 
accurate  sense,  to  denote  proximity  in 
refei'ence  to  any  place,  without  defining 
whether  the  subject  was  on,  at,  or  by  it. 
It  is  thei-efore  to  be  rendered  as  best 
suits  the  tenor  of  the  discourse.  Here 
the  idea  of  on  or  upon  would  seem  the 
most  suitable. 

Looking  southward  from  Moriah, 
Ezekiel  discovered  the  structure  of  a 
city,  which  he  immediately  proceeds  to 
describe  as  a  temple  —  that  being  the 
most  prominent  object  in  the  vision  — 
with  all  its  diflcrcnt  buildings  and  com- 
partments. Precisely  in  this  direction 
must  the  former  city  and  temple  have 
appeared  to  one  who  a])proaclied  them 
from  the  north.  Strictly  speaking,  the 
^"^2?  or  citadel  of  Zion  lay  to  the  west  of 
the  temple  on  IMoriah ;  but  viewed  from 
the  north,  they  both  lay  in  a  southerly 
direction.  The  description  gives  no 
countenance  whatever  to  the  notion 
entertained  by  some,  that  a  space  stretch- 
ing altogether  to  the  south  of  Jerusalem 
was  intended  by  the  locality  here  specified. 

3.  Who  this  0^5< ,  man,  was,  we  are 
not  infoi-med.  Nor  is  it  necessary  to 
conjecture.  Suffice  it  that  he  was  pre- 
pared to  execute  the  task  committed  to 
him  of  taking  the  dimensions  of  the 
temple,  and  holding  converse  with  the 


prophet  relative  to  its  several  appurte- 
nances. To  convey  the  idea  of  his 
celestial  commission,  the  splendor  of 
his  appearance  is  compared  to  that  of 
brightly  polished  metal.  The  messenger 
had  in  his  hand  two  measuring  instru- 
ments :  the  one  dri'wS  3^nS  ,  a  tape  or 
line  made  of  flax,  used  in  taking  the 
longer  measurements ;  the  other,  HDi^ , 
the  reed,  rod,  or  cane  employed  in  taking 
that  of  houses.  Considerable  ditiiculty 
has  been  found  in  exactly  determining 
the  length  of  the  Hebrew  measures. 
Michaelis  enters  at  much  length  into 
the  subject  in  his  German  Xotes,  v.-hich 
I  would  recommend  to  the  perusal  of 
the  reader.  Suffice  it  here  to  say,  that 
measures  of  length  were  for  the  most 
part  taken  from  the  human  body.  Thus 
nax ,  ulna,  a  cubit,  so  called  from  its 
signifying  that  part  of  the  arm  which 
extends  from  the  elbow  to  the  extremity 
of  the  middle  finger.  To  this  was  given 
the  name  of  tlie  greater  cubit.  It  is 
described  by  Ezekiel  as  consisting  of  an 
ordinary  cubit  and  an  hand-breadth, 
xliii.  13,  compared  with  xl.  1,  5.  The 
smaller  cubit  reached  from  the  elbow  to 
the  wrist  or  root  of  the  hand.  The 
'^?^  1  or  palm,  was  the  space  occupied 
by  the  full  breadth  of  the  palm  or  hand. 
4.  Compare  chapter  xliv.  .5.  The 
prophet  is  charged  to  contemplate  with 
the  utmost  attention  and  exactitude  the 
objects  presented  to  his  view,  that  he 
might  give  a  true  representation  of  them 
to  his  countrymen,  by  whom  they  might 


Chap.  XL.  4-16.]  EZEKIEL.  203 

6  the  building,  one  reed  ;  and  the  height,  one  reed.  And  he 
came  to  the  gate  whose  face  was  towards  the  east,  and  went  up 
by  its  steps ;  and  he  measured  the  threshold  of  the  gate,  one 

7  reed  broad,  and  there  was  another  threshold  one  reed  broad. 
And  the  chamber  was  one  reed  long,  and  one  reed  broad ; 
and  between  the  chambers  were  five  cubits,  and  the  threshold 
of  the   gate   beside  the    porch   of  the    gate  within,  one  reed. 

8  And  he  measured  the  porch  of  the  gate  within,  one  reed.     And 

9  he  measured  the  porch  of  the  gate,  eight  cubits ;  and  the  posts 
thereof,  two  cubits ;   and  the   porch  of  the  gate  Avas  inwards. 

10  And  the  chambers  of  the  gate  eastward  were  three  on  this  side, 
and  three  on  that  side ;  to  them  three  was  one  measure ;  and 

11  the  posts  had  one  measure  on  this  side  and  on  that  side.  And 
he  measured  the  breadth  of  the  opening  of  the  gate,  ten  cubits ; 

12  and  the  length  of  the  gate,  thirteen  cubits.  And  the  boundary 
before  the  chambers,  one  cubit ;  and  one  cubit  the  boundary  on 
that  side,  and  the  chambers  were  six  cubits  on  this  side,  and  six 

13  cubits  on  that  side.  And  he  measured  the  gate  from  the  roof 
of  the  one  chamber  to  the  roof  of  another :  the  breadth  five-and- 

14  twenty  cubits,  opening  against  opening.  And  he  made  the  posts, 
sixty  cubits,  even  unto  the  post  of  the  court  round  about  the 

15  gate.     And  before  the  gate  of  the  entrance,  before  the  porch  of 

16  the  inner  gate,  fifty  cubits.  And  latticed  windows  to  the  cham- 
bers, and  to  their  posts  within  the  gate  round  about ;  and  so  to 

be  available  in  constructing  anew  the  8.  This  verse  is  omitted  in  sixteen 
house  of  the  Lord  on  their  return  from  Hebrew  MSS.,  has  originally  been  want- 
Babylon,  ing  in  seven,  as  it  is  in  the  Soncin.  and 

6.  The  mountains  on  which  the  temple  Brixian  editions,  the  LXX.,  Syr.,  and 
had  been  and  was  again  to  be  built  not  Vulg.  Newcome  conjectures  that  the 
being  level,  access  to  it  was  by  steps,  porch  of  the  inner  gate  may  possibly  be 
nibs'TO ,  or  stair^,  of  which  according  to  meant  here.  ob^lX  ,  LXX.,  irpdvaos,  the 
the  LXX.  there  were  seven  {ktrra  ava-  large  vestibule  or  porch  before  the  gate 
0a9ixo7s),  which  is  confirmed  by  verses  of  the  temple.  Derivation,  ?*X ,  to  be 
25  and  26.  Jirst,  i.e.  in  point  of  position,  presenting 

7.  aT) ,  a  7'oom  or  chamber.  This  word,  itself  to  view  as  persons  were  about  to 
of    infrequent    occurrence,    is    derived  enter  the  sacred  edifice. 

from  MTO  ,  to  dwell.     Lee,  comparing  the         9.  ^''.^-     This  word,  which  the  LXX., 

Arabic  ^y^ ,  substkit  divertitgue,  takes  the  Targnm,  and  the  Syriac  version  leave 
^-'  untranslated,  is  an  architectural  term, 
the  same  view  of  its  meaning.  These  supposed  by  Gesenius  to  denote  a  pro- 
rooms  appear  to  have  been  for  the  use  of  jection  in  the  form  of  a  pilaster  or 
the  Levites  who  kept  watch  at  the  gates  column  which  served  at  once  for  orna- 
of  the  temple,  and  for  depositing  uten-  ment,  and  as  a  bulwark  for  security, 
sils,  musical  instruments,  and  the  like.  16.  The  ancients  not  having  glass. 


204  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  [Chap.  XL.  16-18. 

the  porches  ;  and  windows  were  round  about  inward  ;  and  upon 

17  the  posts  were  palm-trees.  And  he  brought  me  into  the  outer 
court;  and,  behold,  cells  and  a  tesselated  pavement  made  for 

18  the  court  round  about ;  thirty  cells  upon  the  pavement.  And 
the  pavement  at  the  side  of  the  gates,  along  the  length  of  the 

19  gates,  was  the  lower  pavement.  And  he  measured  the  breadth 
from  before  the  lower  gate  before  the  inner  court  without,  an 

20  hundred  cubits,  on  the  east  and  on  the  north.  And  as  to  the 
gate  of  the  outward    court  which  looketh  towards  the  north, 

21  he  measured  its  length  and  its  breadth.  And  its  chambers, 
three  on  the  one  side,  and  three  on  the  other  side ;  and  the 
posts  thereof  and  the  porches  thereof  were  according  to  the 
measurement  of  the  former  gate  ;  fifty  cubits  the  length  thereof, 

22  and  its  breadth  five-and-twenty  cubits.  And  its  windows  and 
its  porches  and  its  palm-trees,  according  to  the  measure  of  the 
gate  which  was  before  it,  towards  the  east ;  and  by  seven  stairs 

23  they  went  up  into  it,  and  its  porches  were  before  them.  And 
the  gate  of  the  inner  court  was  over  against  the  gate  to  the 
north  and  to  the  east ;  and  he  measured  from  gate  to  gate  an 

24  hundred  cubits.  And  he  brought  me  by  the  way  of  the  south  ; 
and,  behold,  a  gate  by  the  way  of  the  south ;  and  he  measured  its 

25  posts,  and  its  porches,  according  to  these  measures.  And  tbere 
were  windows  to  it,  and  to  its  porches  round  about,  according  to 
these  windows,  fifty  cubits  in  length,  and  the  breadth  five-and- 

26  twenty  cubits.  And  there  were  seven  steps  to  go  up  by ;  and 
its  23orches  were  before  them;  and  it  had  palm-trees,  one  on  the 

27  one  side,  and  one  on  the  other  side,  upon  its  posts.  And  there 
was  a  gate  to  the  inner  court  towards  the  south ;  and  he 
measured  from  gate  to  gate  towards  the  south,  a  hundred  cubits. 

28  And  he  brought  me  to  the  inner  court  in  the  gate  of  the  south ; 
and    he    measured   the   gate   of  the  south  according   to   these 

29  measures.     And  its  chambers,  and  its  porches,  and  posts,  were 

their   windows   were    ri^DX ,    latticed.  The  m- wb ,  cells  or  chambers,  were  for 

They  were  let  into  the  walls,  widening  containing  the  tithes  of  salt,  wine,  and 

as  they  receded  from  them.     That  the  oil,  and  served  also  as  lodgings  for  the 

D">?"]i<  were  partly  for  ornament  would  priests  while  they  ■were  on  duty  in  the 

appear  from  the  statement  that  they  had  temple. 

representations  of  D'^'^SR  ,pa/m6ra«c/ies,  18.  There  were    two    pavements,   a 

attached  to  them.  higher  and  a  lower,  the  former  of  which 

17.  The  pavement,  '^Q^'^ ,  in  the  East  was  level  with  the  entrance  at  the  gate : 

is  generally  made  of  mosaic.    Root  CiS"!  ,  the  latter  on  either  side  of  the  entrance 

to  inlay  or  tesselate.     Comp.  Esther  i.  6.  thus  formed. 


Chap.  XL.]  EZEKIEL.  205 

according  to  these  measures  ;   and   there  were  windows  to  it, 
and  to  its    posts  round  about,  fifty  cubits  in  length,  and   the 

30  breadth    twenty-five  cubits.     And    the  columns   thereof  round 

31  about  were  twenty-five  cubits  long,  and  five  cubits  broad.  And 
its  columns  were  towards  the  outer  court ;  and  palm-trees  were 
upon  the  posts  thereof;  and  its  ascent  consisted  of  eight  steps. 

32  And  he  brought  me  into  the  inner  court  toward  the  east ;  and 

33  he  measured  the  gate  according  to  these  measures.  And  its 
chambers,  and  its  posts,  and  its  columns,  were  according  to 
these  measures ;    and  it,  and  its  columns,  had  windows  round 

34  about,  fifty  cubits  long,  and  five-aud-twenty  cubits  broad.  And 
its  columns  were  towards  the  outer  court ;  and  palm-trees  were 
upon  its  posts,  on  the  one  side  and  on  the  other ;  and  its  ascent 

35  consisted  of  eight  steps.     And  he  brought  me  to  the  north  gate. 

36  and  measured  according  to  these  measures.  The  chambers 
thereof,  and  its   columns,   and  its  windows  round  about,  fifty 

37  cubits  long,  and  five-and-twenty  cubits  wide.  And  the  posts 
thereof  were  towards  the  outer  court ;  and  palm-trees  were 
upon  its  posts,  on  this  side,  and  on  that  side  ;  and  its  ascent 

38  consisted  of  eight  steps.  And  the  cells,  and  their  entrances, 
were  by  the  columns  of  the  gates,  where  they  should  wash  the 

39  burnt-offering.  And  in  the  vestibule  of  the  gate  were  two 
tables  on  this  side,  and  two  tables  on  that  side,  on  which  to  slay 
the  burnt-offering,  and  the  sin-offering,  and  the  trespass-offlering. 

40  And  on  the  side  without,  by  the  ascent  of  the  entrance  of  the 
gate  northward,  were  two  tables ;  and  by  the  other  side  which 

41  was  in  the  vestibule  of  the  gate,  w^e  two  tables.  Four  tables 
on  this  side,  and  four  tables  on  that  side,  by  the  side  of  the 

42  gate ;  eight  tables,  on  which  they  should  slay.  And  four  tables 
for  the  burnt-offering,  of  hewa  stones,  the  length  one  cubit  and 
a  half,  and  the  breadth  one  cubit  and  a  half,  and  the  height  one 
cubit,  on  which  they  should   lay  the    instruments  with  which 

43  they  should  slay  the  burnt-offering  and  the  sacrifice.  And  the 
double  stalls,  one  hand-breadth,  fixed  within  round  about ;  and 

44  upon  the  tables  the  flesh  of  the  offering.  And  without  the 
inner  gate  were  cells  for  the  singers  in  the  inner  court,  which 
was  at  the  side  of  the  north  gate ;  and  their  prospect  was 
toward  the  south ;  one  at  the  side  of  the  east  gate,  having  the 

45  prospect  toward  the  north.  And  he  said  unto  me :  This  cell, 
whose  prospect  is  toward  the  south,  is  for  the  ^•)riests,  the  keepers 

46  of  the  charge  of  the  house.     And  the  cell  whose  prospect  is 

18 


206  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  XLI. 

towards  the  north  is  for  the  priests,  the  keepers  of  the  charge 
of  the  altar ;  they  are  the  sons  of  Zadok ;  who,  of  the  sons  of 

47  Levi,  approach  to  Jehovah  to  serve  him.  So  he  measured  tlie 
court,  a  liundred  cubits  long,  and  a  hundred  cubits  broad,  four 

48  square ;  and  the  altar  was  before  the  house.  And  he  brought 
me  to  the  porch  of  the  house ;  and  he  measured  the  porch,  five 
cubits  on  the  one  side,  and  five  cubits  on  the  other  side  ;  and 
the  breadth  of  the  gate  was  three  cubits  on  the  one  side,  and 

49  three  cubits  on  the  other  side.  The  length  of  the  porch  was 
twenty  cubits,  and  the  breadth  eleven  cubits ;  and  there  were 
steps  by  which  they  went  up  to  it ;  and  there  were  pillars  in 
the  vestibule,  one  on  the  one  side,  and  one  on  the  other  side. 

46.  Zadokwas  lineally  descended  from  in  consequence  of  the  part  which  Abiathar 

Aaron,   and    had   the   high   priesthood  had  taken  in  the  rebellion  of  Absalom, 

conferred  upon  him  by  Solomon,  who  1  Kings  ii.  26,  27. 
had   set   aside   the   family   of  Ithamar 


CHAPTER  XLI. 

The  conductor  now  introduces  Ezekiel  into  tlie  sacred  edifice,  wliich  is  specially  distin- 
guislied  by  the  name  of  ^9'^'^'^  >  "'^  palace  or  residence  of  Jeliovah,  whicli  is  described 
with  its  divisions,  galleries,  posts,  doors,  windows,  cherubim,  ornamental  palm-trees,  etc. 

1  He  then  brought  me  to  the  temple,  and  measured  the  vestibules, 

six  cubits  broad  on  this  side,  and  six  cubits  broad  on  that  side, 

2  the  breadth  of  the  tabernacle.  And  the  breadth  of  the  door 
was  ten  cubits ;  and  the  sides  of  the  door  were  five  cubits  on 
the  one  side,  and  fiv^  cubits  on  the  other  side  ;  and  he  measured 
the  length  thereof  forty  cubits,  and  the  breadth  twenty  cubits. 

3  Then  he  went  inward,  and  measured  the  post  of  the  door,  two 
cubits  ;  and  the  door,  six  cubits ;  and  the  breadth  of  the  door, 

4  seven  cubits.  And  he  measured  the  length  thereof,  twenty  cubits, 
and  the  breadth  twenty  cubits,  before  the  temple ;  and  he  said 

5  unto  me  :  This  is  the  holy  of  holies.  He  then  measured  the  wall 
of  the  house,  six  cubits  ;  and  the  breadth  of  the  side,  four  cubits  ; 

6  round  about  the  house  on  every  side.  And  the  side-chambers 
side  to  side  were  three-and-thirty  measures ;  and  they  entered 
into  the  wall  which  belonged  to  the  house  for  the  side-chambers 
round  about,  that  they  might  be  fastened ;  but  they  were  not 

7  fastened  in  the  wall  of  the  house.  And  there  was  an  enlarging, 
and  it  winded  still  upward,  to  the  side-chambers ;  for  the  wind- 
ing about  of  the  house  was  still  upward  I'ound  about  the  house ; 


Chap.  XLI.  20.]  EZEKIEL.  207 

therefore  the  breadth  of  the  house  was  still  upward,  and  so  the 

8  lowest  went  up  to  the  highest  by  the  middle.  And  I  saw  the 
height  of  the  house  round  about ;  the  foundations  of  the  side- 
chambers  were  a  full  reed,  six  cubits  to  the  root  of  the  hand. 

9  The  breadth  of  the  wall  which  was  for  the  side-chamber  without, 
was  five  cubits ;  and  what  was  allotted  for  the  house  was  for 

10  the  side-chambers  belonging  to  the  house.  And  between  the 
cells  was  a  width  of  twenty  cubits  al'out  the  house  all  around. 

11  And  the  doors  of  the  side-chambers  were  towards  the  allotted 
space,  one  door  towards  the  north,  and  another  door  towards 
the  south ;  and  the  breadth  of  the  allotted  space  was  five  cubits 

12  round  about.  And  the  building  which  was  before  the  separate 
place  on  the  west  side  was  seventy  cubits  broad  ;  and  the  wall 
of  the  building  was  five  cubits  broad  round  about,  and  its  length 

13  was  ninety  cubits.  So  he  measured  the  house,  the  length  a 
hundred  cubits ;  and  the  separate  place,  and  the  building  toward 

14  the  east,  a  hundred  cubits.  And  the  breadth  of  the  face  of  the 
house,  and  of  the  separate  place  toward  the  east,  a  hundred 

15  cubits.  And  he  measured  the  length  of  the  building  over  against 
the  separate  place  which  was  behind  it,  and  the  galleries  thereof 
from  one  side  to  another,  one  hundred  cubits,  with  the  inner 

16  temple  and  the  porches  of  the  court ;  the  door-posts,  and  the 
latticed  windows,  and  the  galleries  round  about  on  their  three 
sides,  opposite  to  the  door-posts,  boarded  with  wood  round 
about ;  and  from  the  ground  up  to  the  windows,  and  the  windows 

17  were  covered ;  Over  above  the  door,  even  to  the  inner  house, 
and  without,  and  to  all  the  wall  round  about,  within  and  without 

18  the  house,  by  measures.  And  there  were  made  cherubim  and 
palm-trees ;  and  there  was  a  palm-tree  between  each  cherub ; 

19  and  the  cherub  had  two  faces.  And  the  face  of  a  man  was 
toward  the  palm-tree  on  the  one  side,  and  the  face  of  a  young 
lion    toward   the   palm-tree    on    the    other  side ;   it  was    made 

20  through  all  the  house  round  about.  From  the  ground  to  up 
above  the  door  the  cherubim  and  the  palm-trees  were  made  in 

21  the  wall  of  the  temple.  As  for  the  temple,  the  door-posts  were 
square,  and  before  the  holy  place ;  the  appearance  of  the  one 

22  was  as  the  appearance  of  the  other.  The  altar  of  wood  was 
three  cubits  high,  and  its  length  two  cubits,  and  its  corners  and 

20.  PS^flH.  This  word,  which  is  Masoretes  have  marked  with  extraordi- 
repcated  at  the  beginning  of  the  i'ollow-  nary  points,  to  indicate  that  they  did 
ing  verse,  is  one  of  fifteen  which   the    not  belong  to  the  original  text. 


208  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  XLH. 

its  length  and  its  walls  were  of  wood.     And  he  said  unto  me : 

23  This  is  the  table  which  is  before  Jehovah.     And  the  temple  and 

24  the  sanctuary  had  two  doors.  Aiid  the  doors  had  two  leaves, 
two  turning  leaves,  two  for  the  one  door,  and  two  leaves  for  the 

25  other.  And  there  were  made  for  them,  for  the  doors  of  the 
temple,  cherubim  and  palm-trees,  as  had  been  made  for  the 
walls  ;  and  there  was  a  thick  plank-work  before  the  porch  from 

26  without.  And  latticed  windows  and  palm-trees,  on  the  one  side 
and  on  the  other  side,  at  the  sides  of  the  porch ;  and  on  the 
side-chambers  of  the  house,  and  the  thick  planks. 


CHAPTER    XLII. 

Having  surveyed  the  sanctuary,  our  propliet  has  his  attention  drawn  to  the  chambers  for 
the  use  of  the  priests,  which  are  described  in  succession.  Certain  regulations  are  tlien 
prescribed,  relating  to  tlie  table  of  the  priests,  and  their  official  dress;  and  the  chapter 
concludes  with  a  specification  of  the  measurements  of  the  sacred  building. 

1  And  he  brought  me  out  into  the  outer  court,  the  way  toward  the 

north,  and    brought   me    into    the  cell    that  was    opposite    the 
separate  place,  and  which  was  opposite  the  building  toward  the 

2  north.     Before  the  length  of  an  hundred  cubits  was  the  north 

3  door,  and  the  breadth  was  fifty  cubits.  Opposite  the  twenty 
cubits  which  were  for  the  inner  court,  and  opposite  the  pave- 
ment which  was  for  the  outer  court,  was  one  terrace  before 

4  another  in  three  stories.  And  before  the  cells  was  a  walk  of 
ten  cubits  breadth  inward,  a  way  of  one  cubit ;  and  their  doors 

5  were  toward  the  north.  And  the  upper  chambers  were  shorter, 
for  the   galleries  contained   more  than   these,  more   than   the 

6  lower  and  the  middlemost  of  the  building.  For  they  were  in 
three  stories,  but  they  had  no  pillars  as  the  pillars  of  the  courts, 
therefore  it  was  contracted  from  the  lower  and  from  the  middle- 

7  most  from  the  ground.  And  the  wall  which  was  without  over 
against  the  cells  by  the  way  of  the  outer  court  before  the  cells 

8  was  as  to  its  length  fifty  cubits.  For  the  length  of  the  cells 
which  belonged  to  the  outer  court  was  fifty  cubits ;  and,  behold, 

9  before  the  temple  were  an  hundred  cubits.  And  below  these 
cells  was  the  entrance  from  the  east,  as  one  went  into  them 

10       from  the  outer  court.     In  the  breadth  of  the  wall  of  the  court 
towards  the  east  before  the  separate  place,  and  before  the  build- 


Chap.  XLII.  16-20.]  EZEKIEL.  209 

11  ing,  were  cells.  And  there  was  a  way  before  them,  like  the 
ajDpearance  of  the  cells  which  were  toward  the  north,  as  long  as 
they,  and  as  broad  as  they ;  and  all  their  outgoings,  according 

12  to  their  fashions,  and  according  to  their  doors.  And  according 
to  the  doors  of  the  cells  which  were  toward  the  south,  a  door  at 
the  beginning  of  the  way,  the  way  before  the  separate  place, 

13  by  the  way  of  the  east,  to  the  entrance  into  the  same.  And  he 
said  unto  me,  The  cells  toward  the  north,  and  the  cells  toward 
the  south,  which  are  before  the  separate  place,  are  cells  of  the 
holy  place,  where  the  priests  who  draw  near  to  Jehovah  shall 
eat  the  most  holy  things ;  there  they  shall  place  the  most  holy 
things,  both  the  meat-offering,  and  the  sin-offering,  and  the  tres- 

14  pass  offering,  for  the  place  is  holy.  When  the  priests  enter  in, 
they  shall  not  go  forth  from  the  holy  place  into  the  outer  court, 
but  they  shall  leave  there  their  garments  in  which  they  have 
ofBciated,  for  they  are  holy,  and  put  on  other  garments,  and 
shall  approach  the  place  that  belougeth  to  the  people. 

15  And  he  finished  the  measurements  of  the  inner  house,  and  brought 

me  out  by  way  of  the  gate  which  looketh  toward  the  east,  and 

16  measured  it  round  about.  He  measured  the  east  side  with  the 
measuring   reed,  five  hundred  reeds  with  the  measuring   reed 

16-20.  The  prophet,  having  specified  transposing  the  order  of  the  letters  from 

the  different  measurements  of  the  sacred  ri^SX  into   ^lIX^  ,   prescribes   that  fivt 

edifice,  here  sums  up  in  a  gross  estimate  lauidred  is  to  be   regarded  as   the  true 

the  extent  of  the  whole.     The  reading  reading ;  and  this  is  adopted  here  in  a 

D'lpJ? ,  reeds,  in   these  verses,  has   been  great  number  of  Heb.  MSS.  ;   in   the 

much  disputed.     From  the  circumstance  Soncin.  and   Brixian   editions,    and   is 

that  almost  throughout  the  descrij)tion  supported  by  the  ancient  versions, 

of  the  temple,  ri"53S< ,  cubits,  are  used  as  The  LXX.,  omitting  the  number  en- 

the  measure,  it  has  been  inferred   that  tirely  ver.  16,  simply  read  koX  Ste/jL€Tpr]crf 

Ezekiel  must  have  meant  the  same  here ;  -nfvTaicocrLovs,  and  measured  Jive  hundred ; 

and  because   the   plural   form   D^3|5  is  but   in   verses   17  and   20   they  supply 

elsewhere  in    Hebrew   usage   employed  ir^^f  ">  cubits.     In  this  they  are  followed 

only  to  designate   the   branches  of  the  by  Capellus,  J.  D.  Michaelis,  Newcome, 

candlestick,  it  has  been  maintained  that  Ewald,  Hitzig,  and  other  moderns,  who 

it  cannot   be  taken   in   the   sense  of  a  unceremoniously  strike  D"^?!^  out  of  the 

measure.     But   this   reasoning   is  alto-  Hebrew  text,  in  violation  of  one  of  the 

gether  fallacious,  for  it  does  not  appear,  first  principles  of  Hebrew  criticism,  since 

if  it  was  necessary  to  express  the  plural  the  word  is  found  in  all  the  MSS.  that 

at  all,  why  it  should  not  be  emploj'cd  to  have  yet  been  collated, 

convey  the  idea  of  measure  as  well  as  The  ol^jcction  urged  by  Lightfoot,  and 

of  anything  else.  repeated  by  Fairbairn,  that  the  number 

The  textual  reading  of  verse  16,  liJ^H  would   furnish   a    compass   of    ground 

mSX  ,  Jive  cubits,  being  altogether  un-  incomparably  larger  than  that  of  Mount 

suitable   to   the   connection,   the   Keri,  Moriah  several  times  over,  may  be  ob- 
18* 


210  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  XLni.  1-5. 

17  round  about.     He  measured  the  north  side  five  hundred  reeds, 

18  with  the  measuring  reed  round  about.     He  measured  the  south 

19  side  five  hundred  reeds,  with  the  measuring  reed.  Turning  to 
the  west  side,  he  measured  five  hundred  reeds  with  the  measur- 

20  ing  reed.  He  measured  it  by  its  four  sides ;  it  had  a  wall 
round  about,  five  hundred  long,  and  five  hundred  broad,  to 
make  a  division  between  the  holy  place  and  the  profane. 

viated  by  supposing  that   the   prophet  of  tlie  river,  to   express   that  of  great 

here  employs  an  architectural  hyperbole  abundance,    (chap.  xlii.  1-5).     Viewed 

with  the  view  of  conveying  the  idea  of  in   this   light,   the  notion  of  a  natural 

sufficient  amplitude,  just  as  he  specifics  impossibility  vanishes,    and  leaves  the 

four  thousand  cubits  as  the  gross  length  literal  interpretation  intact. 


CHAPTER  XLIII. 

This  chapter  contains  a  vision  of  the  return  of  the  visible  symbol  of  the  divine  presence 
to  the  temple,  which  had  been  withdrawn,  when  Jerusalem  was  taken  by  the  Chaldeans, 
1-3;  a  resumption  of  his  throne  by  Jehovah,  as  King  of  the  Jews,  4-6;  the  sacredness 
of  the  temple  contrasted  with  its  former  desecration,  7-12;  together  with  a  particular 
specification  of  the  measures  of  the  altar,  and  of  the  propitiatory  sacrifices  that  were 
to  be  offered  upon  it,  13-27. 

1  And  he  conducted  me  to  the  gate,  the  gate  which  faceth  the  east. 

2  And,  behold,  the  glory  of  the  God  of  Israel  came  from  the  way 
of  the  east,  and  the  sound  thereof  was  as  the  sound  of  many 

3  waters,  and  the  earth  shined  with  his  glory.  And  the  ap- 
pearance was  as  the  appearance  which  I  saw,  as  the  appearance 
which  I  saw  when  I  came  to  destroy  the  city,  and  appearances 
as  the  appearance  which  I  saw  by  the  river  Chebar ;  and  I  fell 

4  upon  my  face.     And  the  glory  of  Jehovah  entered  the  house  by 

5  the  way  of  the  gate  whose  aspect  is  towards  the  east.  And  the 
Spirit  lifted  me  up,  and  brought  me  into  the  inner  court;  and, 
behold,  the  house  was  filled  with  the  glory  of  Jehovah. 

1-5.   What    is    here   described    took  those  things  in  which  the  second  temple 

place  in  vision,  just  as  we  are  to  under-  was  deficient.     What  we  are  taught  in 

stand  Avhat  is  said  of  the  removal  of  the  the    passage    is,    that   Jehovah    would 

visible  symbol  of  the  divine  presence,  renew   the   manifestation   of  his   favor 

(chap.  xi.  23).     It  is  not  necessary  there-  to   the  covenant  people,  which  he  did 

fore   to   suppose    that   this   token   was  pre-eminently  when    he   dwelt    among 

actually  restored ;  and  indeed  the  Jews  them  in  the  person   of   his    incarnate 

themselves  allow   that    it  was  one  of  Son. 


Chap.  XLin.  7-12.  EZEKIEL.  211 

6  And  I  heard  one  speaking  to  me  from  the  house,  and  a  man  stood 

7  beside  me.  And  he  said  unto  me,  Son  of  man,  this  is  the  place 
of  my  thi'one,  even  the  place  of  the  soles  of  my  feet,  where  I 
will  dwell  among  the  children  of  Israel  forever ;  and  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  shall  not  defile  my  holy  name  any  more,  they,  nor 
their  kings,  with  their  whoredoms,  and  with  the  carcasses  of 

8  their  kings  on  their  death :  While  they  set  their  threshold 
beside  my  threshold,  and  their  door-post  beside  my  door-post, 
and  the  wall  betwixt  me  and  them,  they  even  denied  my  holy 
name  with  their  abominations  which  they  committed,  wherefore 

9  I  consumed  them  in  mine  anger.  Now  let  them  remove  their 
whoredom,  and  the  carcases  of  their  kings  far  from  me  ;  and  I 
will  dwell  in  the  midst  of  them  forever. 

10  Thou,  O  son  of  man,  show  the  house  of  Israel  the  house,  that  they 

may  be  ashamed  of  their  iniquities,  and  let  them  measure  the 

11  pattern.  And  if  they  are  ashamed  of  all  that  they  have  done, 
show  them  the  form  of  the  house,  and  the  pattern  thereof,  and 
the  goings  out  thereof,  and  the  comings  in  thereof,  and  all  the 
forms  thereof,  and  all  the  statutes  thereof,  and  all  the  forms 
thereof,  and  all  the  laws  thereof;  and  write  it  in  their  sight, 
that  they  may  observe  all  the  forms  thereof,  and  all  the  ordi- 

12  nances  thereof,  and  do  them.  This  is  the  law  of  the  house 
upon  the  summit  of  the  mount ;  the  whole  boundary  thereof 
round  about  shall  be  most  holy ;  behold,  this  is  the  law  of  the 

7-9.  The  particle  f^i<  here   possesses  of  proximity  with  the  temple  by  burying 

a  peculiarly  demonstrative  and  empiiatic  the  dead  bodies  of  their  kings  within  its 

power,  and  requires  the  substantive  verb  sacred  precincts,  the  idolatrous  princes 

is,  or  as  Maurer  gives  it,  be/iold  to   be  built  altars  to  idols  in  the  temple  itself, 

supplied.     The  whole  of  the   precincts  doing  the  utmost  despite  to  its  glorious 

of  the  temple  being  considered  sacred,  inhabitant  (2  Kings  xxi. 4-7;  xxiii.  12). 

it  was  a  profonation  to  inter  the  dead  10-12.  By  exhibiting  to  the  view  of 

bodies  even  of  the  kings    in    any  part  the  Hebrews    an   exact   pattern  of  the 

of  them.      '^'^'^ -? »   with  fifteen  of  De  temple  and  its  ordinances,  they  were  to 

Eossi's  MSS.  and  the  Soncin.  edition,  be  reminded  of  what  they  bad  forfeited 

I  would  point  Dt^i^a ,  and  render  icheri  by  their  apostasy,  and  thus  to  be  led  to 

thei/  are  dead.     Ewald  :  die  Leichen  ikrer  repentance  and  deep  humiliation  before 

verstorhene  Konir/e.     See  my  Comment,  their  God,  who,    notwithstanding,  was 

on  Isa.  liii.  p.  385.     The  construction  willing  to  receive  them  back  again  into 

put  upon  this  verse  by  Hiivernick  and  favor.     It    seems    scarcely   possible    to 

Fairbairn,  that  by  their  kings  we  arc  to  conceive  of  the  propriety  of  the  language 

understand  their  Molochs  or  idol  gods,  here   employed   on  any  other  principle 

I  cannot  but  consider  forced  and  inept,  than  that  of  admitting  its  reference  to 

Not  content  with  bringing  their  abomi-  a  material    temple   and  its   ordinances, 

nations  into  immediate  contact  in  point  The  repetitious  forms  convey  the  idea 


212  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  [Chap.  XLIII.  1 2-27. 

13  house.  And  these  are  the  measurements  of  the  altar  by  cubits : 
the  cubit  is  a  cubit  and  a  palm :  and  the  hollow  a  cubit,  and 
the  breadth  a  cubit,  and  the  border  thereof  to  the  edge  thereof 
round  about  shall  be  a  span  ;  and  this  is  the  back  of  the  altar. 

14  And  from  the  hollow  of  the  ground  to  the  lower  settle  two 
cubits,  and  the  breadth  a  cubit ;  and  from  the  smaller  settle  to 

15  the  greater  settle  four  cubits,  and  the  breadth  a  cubit.  And  the 
altar  shall  be  four  cubits  ;  and  from  the  altar  and  upward,  shall 

16  be  four  horns.     And  the  altar  shall  be  twelve  cubits  long,  by 

17  twelve  broad,  square  on  the  four  sides  thereof.  And  the  settle 
shall  be  fourteen  cubits  long,  and  fourteen  broad,  square  on  the 
four  sides  thereof;  and  the  border  round  it  shall  be  half  a  cubit, 
and  the  settle  thereof  one  cubit  round  about ;  and  the  ascent 
to  it  shall  face  the  east. 

18  And  he  said  unto  me :    Son  of  man,  thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah : 

These  are  the  ordinances  of  the  altar  in  the  day  when  they  shall 
make  it  to  offer  burnt-offerings  thereon,  and  to  sprinkle  blood 

19  thereon.  And  thou  shalt  give  to  the  priests  the  Levites,  who 
are  of  the  seed  of  Zadok,  who  draw  near  unto  me,  saith  the 
Lord  Jehovah,  to  serve  me,  a  young  bullock  for  a  sin-offering. 

20  And  thou  shalt  take  of  the  blood  thereof,  and  put  it  upon  the 
four  horns  of  the  altar,  and  upon  the  four  corners  of  the  settle, 
and  upon  the  border  round  about :  thus  shalt  thou  cleanse  it, 

21  and  expiate  it.  And  thou  shalt  take  the  bullock  of  the  sin- 
offering,  and    he  shall  burn  it  in  the  appointed   place  of  the 

22  house,  without  the  sanctuary.  And  on  the  second  day  thou 
shalt  offer  a  kid  of  the  goats  without  blemish  for  a  sin-offering ; 
and  they  shall  expiate  the  altar,  as  they  expiated  it  with  the 

of  intensity,  indicating  the  care  which  thereby  denoting  the  invincible  strength 

was  to  be  taken  tliat   everything   was  of  Jerusalem  ;  but  even  wlien  occurring 

effected  with    the    utmost    exactitude,  there,  the  word  much  more  appropriately 

The  whole  was  to  be  stamped  with  the  characterizes  that  city  as  the  centre  of 

character    of   peculiar    sanctity.      The  the  Jewish  worship,  of  which  the  ofFer- 

temple  and   the  whole  of  its  precincts  ing  of  burnt  sacrifices  formed  so  promi- 

were  to  be  D'^lJ"i|5  u;~p ,  holy  of  holies,  nent  a  part.     See  my  note  on  that  pas- 

i.e.  most  holy,  a  phrase  which  in  this  sage.     The  idea  of  altar,   therefore,   is 

superlative  form  is  used  exclusively  of  that  distinctly  conveyed, 
the  adytum  (Exod.  xxvi.  34),  was  now         18-27.  Here  the  sacrificial  ordinances 

to  characterize  the  entire  edifice  and  its  of  the  Levitical  law  are  distinctly  recog- 

precincts.  nized,  a  clear  proof  that  respect  is  had 

13.  In  elucidation  of  the  term  PN'i'iJt ,  to  a  time  when  these   ordinances  were 

Arid,  some  refer  to  PX'^'iN  ,  Isa.  xxix.  1,  still  in  force.     Yet  upon  this  portion  of 

viewed  as   signifying  lion  of  God,  and  the  vision   has    been    constructed   the 


Chap.  XLIV.] 


EZEKIEL. 


213 


23  bullock.  When  thou  hast  made  an  end  of  cleansing  it,  thou 
shalt  offer  a  young  bullock  without  blemish,  and  a  ram  out  of 

24  the  flock  without  blemish.  And  thou  shalt  offer  them  before 
Jehovah :  and  the  priests  shall  cast  salt  upon  them,  and  offer 

25  them  up  for  a  burnt-offering  to  Jehovah.  Seven  days  thou 
shalt  prepare,  each  day,  a  goat  for  a  sin-offering,  and  a  young 

2G  bullock,  and  a  ram  out  of  the  flock  without  blemish.  Seven 
days   shall  they  purge   the   altar  and  purify  it,   and  fill   their 

27  hands.  And  when  the  days  are  expired,  it  shall  be  upon  the 
eighth  day  and  forward,  that  the  priests  shall  prepare  your 
burnt-offerings  and  your  peace-offerings  upon  the  altar,  and  I 
will  accept  you,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah. 


h3'pothcsis  of  commcmoriitive  sacrifices 
under  the  Christian  dispensation,  whicli 
is  nothing  better  than  a  pure  invention, 
unsupported  by  any  autliority  in  the 
New  Testament.  The  only  rite  com- 
memorative of  the  death  of  Christ 
sanctioned  by  divine  authority  is  the 
ordinance  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  Tiie 
rc-institution  of  literal  sacrifices  would 
be  to  fly  directly  in  the  face  of  the 
doctrine  expressly  taught,  Heb.  x.  1-18. 
It  would  imply  that  sin  was  still  un- 
atoned  for,  and  consequently  that  the 
guiltof  believers  remained  untakcn  away. 
That  the  sacrifices  described  by  Ezekiel 


were  strictly  piacular  or  propitiatory, 
and  not  merely  commemorative  and 
eucharistical,  is  evident  from  the  terms 
employed  in  describing  them.  They 
were  to  be  C^  riblj? ,  hlooJij  sacrifices, 
specifically  offered  "1Q3  ,  to  make  expiation, 
to  placate,  or  remove  contracted  guilt. 
The  bullock  and  the  kid  of  the  goats 
were  to  be  offered  nXIinb  ,  far  a  sin- 
offering,  which  conveys  the  same  idea. 
To  fill  the  hand,  ver.  26,  implies  to  fill  it 
with  oflPerings,  to  take  a  full  supply  of 
them.  The  reference  is  to  the  mode 
of  sacerdotal  consecration,  Exod.  xxix. 
24,  35. 


CHAPTER    XLIV. 


We  have  here  regulations  relating  to  the  prince  or  civil  ruler  of  the  Hebrews  when  he 
drew  near  to  worship  before  the  Lord,  1-3;  together  with  reproofs  of  the  people,  and 
especially  of  the  Levites,  who,  for  their  breacli  of  the  divine  covenant,  were  to  be 
excluded  from  the  priesthood,  4-14.  This  high  ofEce  was  now  to  be  restricted  to  the  sons 
of  Zadok,  in  reward  of  their  fidelity  during  the  general  defection,  15-31.  (Comp.  chap, 
xl.  43). 


1  Then  he  brought  me  back  by  the  way  of  the  gate  of  the  outer 

2  sanctuary  which  faceth  the  east ;  and  it  was  shut.  Then  said 
Jehovah  unto  me :  This  gate  shall  be  shut :  it  shall  not  be 
opened,  and  no  man  shall   enter   by  it,  because   Jehovah  the 


214  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  XLIV.  3. 

3  God  of  Israel  hath  entered  in  by  it:  it  shall  be  shut.  The 
prince,  indeed,  the  prince  shall  sit  in  it  to  eat  bread  before  Je- 
hovah ;  by  the  way  of  the  porch  of  the  gate  he  shall  enter  in, 

4  and  he  shall  go  out  by  the  way  of  the  same.  And  he  brought 
me  by  the  way  of  the  north  gate  before  the  house ;  and  I  looked ; 
and,  behold,  the  glory  of  Jehovah  filled  the  house  of  Jehovah ; 

5  and  I  fell  upon  my  face.  And  Jehovah  said  unto  me :  Son  of 
man,  set  thy  heart,  and  behold  with  thine  eyes,  and  hear  with 
thine  ears  all  that  I  say  unto  thee  concerning  all  the  ordinances 
of  the  house  of  Jehovah,  and  concerning  all  the  laws  thereof;  and 
set  thine  heart  to  the  entrance  of  the  house  with  all  the  goings 

6  out  of  the  sanctuary.  And  thou  shalt  say  to  the  rebellious  house 
of  Israel :  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  :  Let  it  suffice  you  for 

7  all  your  abominations,  O  house  of  Israel,  In  that  you  have 
brought  strangers  into  my  sanctuary,  uncircumcised  in  heart, 
and  uncircumcised  in  flesh,  to  be  in  my  sanctuary,  to  pollute  my 
house,  when  ye  ofier  my  bread,  the  fat  and  the  blood ;  and  they 
have  broken  my  covenant,  because  of  all  your  abominations. 

8  And  ye  have  not  kept  the  charge  of  my  holy  things,  but  have 

9  set  keepers  of  my  charge  in  my  sanctuary  for  yourselves.  Thus 
saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  No  stranger,  uncircumcised  in  heart, 
nor  uncircumcised  in  flesh,  shall  enter  into  my  sanctuary,  of 

10  any  stranger  that  is  among  the  children  of  Israel.  And  the 
Levites,  who  departed  away  from  me  when  Israel  went  astray, 
who  went  astray  from  me  after  their  idols,  even  they  shall  bear 

11  their  iniquity.  Yet  they  shall  be  ministers  in  my  sanctuary, 
having  charge  at  the  gates  of  the  house,  and  ministering  to  the 
house ;  they  shall  kill  the  burnt-offering  and  the  sacrifice  for 
the  people,  and   they  shall   stand  before  them  to  serve  them. 

12  Because  they  served  them  before  their  idols,  .and  were  a 
stumbling-block  of  iniquity  to  the  children  of  Israel,  therefore  I 
lifted  up  my  hand  against  them,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah,  and 

13  they  shall  bear  their  iniquity.  And  they  shall  not  come  near 
to  me  to  do  the  office  of  priest  unto  me,  to  come  near  to  any  of 
my  holy  things  in  the  most  holy  place,  but  they  shall  bear  their 
shame,  and    their   abominations    which   they  have    committed. 

3.  It  cannot  but  appear  strange  that  identified,  sinee  the   simple  fact  of  his 

any  should  suppose  that  the  prince  here  offering    animal    saci'ificcs   for   himself 

referred  to  is  any  other   than  the  civil  (chap.  xlvi.  4)  would  in  such  case  flatly 

ruler,  for  the  time  being,  of  the  Jewish  contradict  what  we  are  taught,  Heb.  x. 

state.     With  our  Saviour  he  cannot  be  18.     See  on  chap,  xliii.  18-27. 


Chap.  XLIV.]  EZEKIEL.  215 

14  Yet  I  will  make  tliem  keepers  of  the  charge  of  the  house,  and 
all  the  service  thereof,  and  for  all  that  shall  be  done  therein. 

15  But  the  priests,  the  sons  of  Zadok,  the  Levites  Avho  have  kept 
the  charge  of  my  sanctuary,  when  the  children  of  Israel  went 
astray  from  me,  they  shall  come  near  unto  me  to  serve  me,  and 
they  shall  stand  before  me  to  offer  unto  me  the  fat  and  the  blood, 

16  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah.  They  shall  enter  into  my  sanctuary, 
and  they  shall  come  near  unto  my  table  to  serve  me,  and  they 

17  shall  keep  my  charge.  And  it  shall  be  when  they  enter  in  at 
the  gates  of  the  inner  court,  that  they  shall  be  clothed  with 
linen  garments  ;  and  wool  shall  not  come  upon  them  while  they 

18  serve  in  the  gates  of  the  inner  court,  and  within.  They  shall 
have  linen  bonnets  on  their  heads,  and  they  shall  have  linen 
drawers  upon  their  loins  :  they  shall  not  gird  themselves  with 

19  anything  that  causeth  sweat.  And  when  they  go  out  into  the 
outer  court,  even  into  the  outer  court  unto  the  people,  they  shall 
put  off  their  garments  in  which  they  have  ministered,  and  lay 
them  in  the  holy  cells,  and  put  on  other  garments  ;  and  they 
shall  not  sanctify  the  people  with  their  garments.  Neither  shall 
they  shave  their  heads,  nor  allow  their  hair  to  grow  long ;  they 

21  shall  only  poll  their  heads.     Neither  shall  any  priest  drink  wine, 

22  when  they  go  in  to  the  inner  court.  Neither  shall  they  take 
for  them  for  wives  a  widow,  or  her  that  hath  been  put  away, 
but  maidens  of  the  seed  of  the  house  of  Israel ;  but  they  may 

23  take  a  widow  who  hath  been  the  widow  of  a  ^Driest.  And  they 
shall  teach  my  people  the  difference  between  the  holy  and  the 
profane,  and  cause  them  to  discern  between  the  unclean  and  the 

24:  clean.  And  in  matter  of  litigation  they  shall  stand  in  judgment ; 
they  shall  judge  it  according  to  my  judgments,  and  they  shall 
keep  my  laws  and  my  statutes  in  all  mine  assemblies  ;"and  they 

25  shall  hallow  my  Sabbaths.  And  they  shall  not  go  in  to  a  dead 
man  to  defile  themselves ;  but  for  father,  or  for  mother,  or  for 
son,  or  for  daughter,  for  brother,  or  for  sister  who  hath  had  no 

26  husband,  they  may  defile  themselves.     And  after  he  is  cleansed, 

27  they  shall  reckon  unto  him  seven  days.  And  in  the  day  that 
he  goeth  into  the  sanctuary,  into  the  inner  court,  to  minister  in 
the  sanctuary,   he  shall  offer   his  sin-offering,   saith   the  Lord 

28  Jehovah.  And  it  shall  be  to  them  for  an  inheritance :  I  am 
their  inheritance  ;  and  ye  shall  give  them  no  possession  in  Israel : 

29  I  am  their  possession.  They  shall  eat  the  meat-offering,  and 
the  sin-offering,  and  the  trespass-offering;   and  every  devoted 


216  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  XL V.  1. 

30  thing  in  Israel  shall  be  theirs.  And  the  first  of  all  the  firstlings 
of  all,  and  every  oblation,  every  one  of  all  your  oblations,  shall 
be  the  priests' ;  and  ye  shall  give  unto  the  priest  the  first  of 

31  your  dough,  to  cause  a  blessing  to  rest  upon  your  house.  The 
priests  shall  not  cat  anything  that  hath  died  of  itself,  or  is  torn, 
whether  it  be  of  fowl  or  of  beast. 


CHAPTER  XLV. 

Ererything  connected  with  the  temple  having  been  settled,  the  division  of  the  land  is 
naturally  next  adverted  to,  with  special  reference  to  the  provision  for  the  sacred  services, 
,  and  for  the  city,  the  priests,  and  the  prince ;  and  particular  instructions  are  given  bearing 
against  oppression  and  acts  of  injustice. 

The  special  territorial  division  of  the  country  among  the  tribes  is  reserved  for  chap,  xlviii. ; 
only  the  portion  devoted  to  the  Lord  is  here  subdivided  into  three  parts;  that  which 
was  to  be  specially  appointed  fi,r  the  uses  of  the  sanctuary,  2,  3;  a  portion  fur  the  priests 
who  were  attached  to  the  service  of  the  temple,  4 ;  and  a  separate  portion  for  the  Levites 
to  occupy  as  dwellings  while  discharging  the  functions  of  their  office,  5.  (Comp.  chap/ 
xlviii.  8-13). 

1  And  when  ye  divide  the  land  by  lot  for  inheritance,  ye  shall  heave 

a  heave-oftering  unto  Jehovah,  a  holy  portion  of  the  land ;  the 
length  shall  be  the  length  of  five-and-twcnty  thousand,  and 
the  breadth  ten  thousand :    it  shall  be  holy  in  all  the  border 

2  thereof  round  about.  Of  this  shall  be  for  the  sanctuary  five 
hundred  by  five  hundred,  square  round  about ;  and  fifty  cubits 

3  an  open  place  for  it  round  about.  And  of  this  measure  thou 
shalt  measure  the  length  of  five-and-twenty  thousand,  and  the 
breadth  of  ten  thousand :  and  in  it  shall  be  the  sanctuary,  the 

4  holy  of  holies.  The  holy  portion  of  the  land  shall  be  for  the 
priests  the  ministers  of  the  sanctuary,  who  draw  near  to  serve 
Jehovah  ;  and  it  shall  be  to  them  a  place  for  houses,  and  a  holy 

1.  A  portion  of  the  land  of  Canaan,  by   Hiivcrnick   and   Fairbairn  ;    but  I 

called  the  n^1"iri ,  Tenimah  or  Oblation,  think   inconsistently   with    the  natural 

was  to  be  reserved  for  Jehovah,  as  pro-  import   of    the   statement,   ver.   3,   for 

prietor  of  the  soil.     It  is  so  called,  be-  rX-TH  rr^J^il ,   this  measure,   can   be  no 

cause  ustially  when  anything  was  offered  other  than  that  of  cubits  just  specified 

to  the  Lord,  the  action  was  accompanied  in  the  preceding  verse.     It  is  quite  un- 

by  lifting  up  the  hand ;  root  D"''in ,  to  necessary  to  assume  the  larger  measure, 

raise.     The  dimensions  specified  in  this  since  the  dimensions  according  to  cubits 

chapter  have  been  much  disputed.   Heeds  must  have  been  amply  suflicient  to  meet 

have  been  introduced  in  italics  into  the  the  demands  of  the  different  parties  here 

text  by  our  translators,  and  arc  defended  referred  to. 


Chap.  XL V.  12.]  EZEKIEL.  217 

5  place  for  the  sanctuary.  And  the  five-and-twenty  thousand  iu 
length,  and  the  ten  thousand  in  breadth,  shall  be  for  the  Levites 
serving  the  house,  for  themselves,  for  a  possession,  twenty  cells. 

6  And  ye  shall  appoint  the  possession  of  the  city  five  thousand 
broad,  and  five-and-twenty  thousand  long,  over  against  the  holy 

7  oblation  ;  it  shall  be  for  the  whole  house  of  Israel.  And  for  the 
prince  shall  be  on  one  side  and  the  other  of  the  oblation  of  the 
holy  place,  and  of  the  possession  of  the  city,  before  the  oblation 
of  the  holy  place,  and  before  the  possession  of  the  city,  on  the 
west  side  westward,  and  on  the  east  side  eastward,  and  the  length 
over  against  one  of  the  portions  from  the  west  border  unto  the 

8  east  border.  As  to  the  land,  it  shall  be  to  him  for  a  possession 
in  Israel ;  and  my  princes  shall  no  more  oppress  my  i^eople ; 
and  the  rest  of  the  land  they  shall  give  to  the  house  of  Israel 

9  according  to  their  tribes.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  Let 
it  suffice  you,  ye  princes  of  Israel ;  remove  violence  and  spoil, 
and  execute  judgment  and  justice  ;  take  away  your  exactions 

10  from  my  people,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah.     Ye  shall  have  just 

11  balances,  and  a  just  ephah,  and  a  just  bath.  The  ephah  and 
the  bath  shall  be  of  one  measure,  that  the  bath  may  contain  the 
tenth  part  of  an  homer,  and  the  ephah  the  tenth  joart  of  an 

12  homer  ;  the  measure  thereof  shall  be  after  the  homer.  And  the 
shekel  shall  be  twenty  gerahs  ;  twenty  shekels,  five-and-twenty 

13  shekels,  fifteen  shekels,  shall  be  your  maneh.  This  is  the 
oblation  that  ye  shall  offer,  the  sixth  part  of  an  ephah  of  au 
homer  of  wheat ;  and  ye  shall  give  a  sixth  part  of  an  ephah  of 

14  an  homer  of  barley.  And  as  for  the  appointed  quantity  of  oil, 
the  bath  of  oil,  the  tenth  part  of  a  bath  out  of  the  cor,  which  is 

15  an  homer  of  ten  baths :  for  ten  baths  are  an  homer.  And  one 
lamb  out  of  the  flock,  out  of  two  hundred,  from  the  well-watered 
pastures  of  Israel,  for  a  meat-oifering,  and  for  a  burnt-offering, 
and  for  peace-offerings,  to  make  atonement  for  them,  saith  the 

16  Lord   Jehovah.     All   the    people  of  the  land  shall   give    this 

17  oblation  for  the  prince  in  Israel.  And  it  shall  be  for  the  prince 
to  give  the  burnt-offerings,  and  the  meat-offerings,  and  the 
drink-offerings,  on  the  festivals,  and  on  the  new  moons,  and  on 

12.  The  standard  weights  and  measures  shekel  here   referred  to   were  probably 

having  perished   when   t!ie  temple  was  coins  differing  in  value.     Ko  importance 

destroyed    by   the    Chaldeans,    it    was  is  to  be  attached  to  the  order  in  which 

necessary  there  should  be  a  fresh  speci-  they  occur,  twenty,  twenty-five,  fifteeen, 

fication  of  them.     The  three  orders  of  instead  of  fifteen,  twenty,  twenty-five. 
19 


218  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  XLVI. 

the  Sabbaths,  on  all  the  appointed  feasts  of  the  house  of  Israel : 
he  shall  prepare  the  sin-offering,  and  the  meat-offering,  and  the 
burnt-offering,  and  the  peace-offerings,  to  make  an  atonement 

18  for  the  house  of  Israel.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah  :  In  the 
first  month,  on  the  first  of  the  month,  thou  shalt  take  a  young 

19  bullock  without  blemish,  and  cleanse  the  sanctuary.  And  the 
priest  shall  take  of  the  blood  of  the  sin-offering  and  put  it  upon 
the  posts  of  the  house,  and  upon  the  four  corners  of  the  settle 
of  the  altar,  and  upon  the  posts  of  the  gate  of  the  inner  court. 

20  And  thus  shalt  thou  do  on  the  seventh  of  the  month  for  every 
one  that  erreth,  and  for  him  that  is  simple  ;  and  ye  shall  make 

21  atonement  for  the  house.  In  the  first  month,  on  the  fourteenth 
day  of  the  month,  ye  shall  have  the  passover,  the  feast  of  seven 

22  days  ;  unleavened  bread  shall  be  eaten.  And  the  prince  shall 
on  the  same  day  prepare  for  himself,  and  for  all  the  people  of 

23  the  land,  a  bullock  as  a  sin-offering.  And  on  the  seven  days 
of  the  feast  he  shall  prepare  a  burnt-offering  for  Jehovah,  seven 
bullocks  and  seven  rams  without  blemish  daily,  the  seven  days ; 

24  and  for  a  sin-offering,  a  kid  of  the  goats,  daily.  And  he  shall 
prepare  a  meat-offering  of  an  ephah  for  a  bullock,  and  an  ephah 

25  for  a  ram.  and  a  hin  of  oil  for  an  ephah.  In  the  seventh  month, 
on  the  fifteenth  day  of  the  month,  he  shall  prepare  on  the 
festival,  as  on  these  seven  days,  according  to  the  sin-offering, 
according  to  the  burnt-offering,  and  according  to  the  meat 
offering,  and  according  to  the  oil. 


CHAPTER  XLVI. 

A  continuation  of  ordinances  relating  to  the  worsliip  performed  by  the  prince,  1-8,  and 
likewise  by  the  people,  9-15,  at  their  annual  festivals,  as  well  as  in  relation  to  the  daily 
ministrations. 

1  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah :  The  gate  of  the  inner  court  that 

looketh  towards  the  east  shall  be  shut  the  six  work-days,  but 
on  the  Sabbath  it  shall  be  opened,  and  on  the  day  of  the  new 

2  moon  it  shall  be  opened.  And  the  prince  shall  enter  by  the 
way  of  the  porch  of  that  gate  without,  and  shall  stand  by  the 
post  of  the  gate,  and  the  priests  shall  jirepare  his  burnt-offering, 
and  his  jieace-offerings,  and  he  shall  worship  at  the  threshold 
of  the  gate ;  and  he  shall  go  forth ;  and  the  gate  shall  not  be 


Chap.  XL VI.  4.]  EZEKIEL.  219 

3  shut  until  the  evening.  And  the  peoj^le  of  the  land  shall 
worship  at  the  door  of  this  gate  on  the  Sabbaths,  and  on  the 

4  new  moons,  before  Jehovah.  And  the  burnt-offering,  which 
the  prince  shall  bring  near  to  Jehovah  on  the  Sabbath,  shall  be 

5  six  lambs  without  blemish,  and  a  ram  without  blemish :  And  a 
meat-offering,  an  cphah  for  a  ram,  and  a  meat-offering  for  the 
lambs,  according  as  his  hand  shall  attain  to,  and  a  hin  of  oil  to 

6  an  ephah.  And  on  the  day  of  the  new  moon,  a  young  bullock 
without  blemish,  and  six  lambs,  and  a  ram ;  without  blemish 

7  they  shall  be.  And  he  shall  prepare  a  meat-offering,  an  ephah 
for  a  bullock,  and  an  ephah  for  a  ram,  and  for  the  lambs  according 

8  as  his  hand  shall  attain  to,  and  a  hin  of  oil  to  an  ephah.  And 
when  the  prince  entereth,  he  shall  enter  by  the  way  of  the  porch 

9  of  the  gate,  and  by  the  way  thereof  he  shall  go  forth.  And 
when  the  jDeojile  of  the  land  enter  before  Jehovah  in  the  ap- 
pointed feasts,  he  that  entereth  by  the  way  of  the  north  gate  to 
worship,  shall  go  out  by  the  way  of  the  south  gate ;  and  he  that 
entereth  by  the  way  of  the  south  gate  shall  go  out  by  the  way 
of  the  north  gate ;  he  shall  not  return  by  the  way  of  the  gate 

10  by  which  he  entered,  but  shall  go  out  over  against  it.  And  the 
prince  shall  be  among  them ;  when  they  enter  in,  he  shall  enter 

11  in  ;  and  when  they  go  out,  he  shall  go  out.  And  on  the  festivals, 
and  in  the  solemn  assemblies,  shall  be  the  meat-offering,  an 
ephah  for  a  bullock,  and  an  ephah  for  a  ram,  and  for  the  lambs 
as  much  as  his  hand  shall  attain  to,  and  of  oil  a  hin  to  the  ephah. 

12  And  when  the  prince  shall  prepare  a  voluntary  burnt-offering, 
or  voluntary  peace-offerings  unto  Jehovah,  they  shall  open  to 
him  the  gate  that  looketh  toward  the  east,  and  he  shall  prepare 
his  burnt-offering  and  his  peace-offerings,  according  as  he  pre- 
pareth  on  the  Sabbath-day ;  and  he  shall  go  forth,  and  the  door 

13  shall  be  shut  after  he  hath  gone  forth.  And  thou  shalt  prepare 
daily  a  burnt-offering  unto  Jehovah,  a  lamb  of  a  year  old  without 

14  blemish  ;  every  morning  thou  shalt  prepare  it.  And  thou  shalt 
prepare  for  it  a  meat-offering  every  morning,  the  sixth  part  of 

4.  It  is  noticeable  that  six  lambs  are  of  the  people  in  general,  but  in  the  other 

here  speciticd  as  the  number  to  be  offered  to  those   of  the   prince    in   particular  ; 

on  the  Sabbath,  whereas  only  tiro  are  and  that  in  consequence  of  the  liberal 

prescribed  by  the  Mosaic  law,  (Numb,  provision  made  for  the  establishment  of 

xxviii.  9).     The  difference  may  be  ac-  the  latter,  it  was  assumed  that  he  would 

counted  for  on  the  ground,  that  in  the  set  a  proportionately  bountiful  example 

one  case  respect  is  had  to  the  offerings  to  the  people. 


220  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  XL VI.  17. 

an  ephah,  and  the  third  part  of  a  hin  of  oil  with  which  to  moisten 
the  fine   flour,  a  meat-offering  to    Jehovah,  continually  by  a 

15  perpetual  statute.  And  they  shall  prepare  the  lamb,  and  the 
meat-offering,  and  the  oil,  every  morning,  a  continual  burnt- 
offering. 

16  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah:  Wlien  the  prince  shall  give  a  gift 

to  any  of  his  sons,  the  inheritance  of  it  shall  be  for  his  sons  ; 

17  it  shall  be  their  possession  by  inheritance.  But  when  he  shall 
give  a  gift  of  his  inheritance  to  one  of  his  servants,  it  shall  be 
his  to  the  year  of  liberty  ;  then  shall  it  return  to  the  prince  ; 

18  but  his  inheritance  shall  be  for  his  sons.  And  the  prince  shall 
not  take  of  the  inheritance  of  the  people  to  thrust  them  out  of 
their  inheritance  by  oppression  ;  he  shall  give  his  sons  inheritance 
out  of  his  own  possession,  that  my  peojile  may  not  be  scattered 
every  one  from  his  possession. 

19  Then  he  brought  me  through  the  entrance,  which  Avas  by  the  side 

of  the  gate,  into  the  holy  cells  of  the  priests  which  looked  toward 
the  north  ;  and,  behold,  there  was  a  place  at  the  two  ends  toward 

20  the  west.  And  he  said  unto  me :  This  is  the  place  where  the 
priests  shall  boil  the  trespass-offering  and  the  sin-offering,  where 
they  shall  bake  the  meat-offering,  that  they  may  not  bring  them 

21  out  into  the  outer  court  to  sanctify  the  people.  Then  he  brought 
me  forth  into  the  outer  court,  and  caused  me  to  pass  over  to  the 
four  corners  of  the  court ;   and,  behold,  there  was  a  court  in 

22  every  corner  of  the  court.  In  the  four  corners  of  the  court  were 
smaller  courts,  of  forty  in  length,  and  thirty  in  breadth,  one 

23  measure  to  the  four  corners.  And  there  was  a  row  round  about 
in  them,  round  about  them  four,  and  boiling  places  were  made 

24  underneath  the  rows  round  about.  And  he  said  unto  me  :  These 
are  the  place  for  boiling,  where  the  servants  of  the  house  shall 
boil  the  sacrifice  of  the  people. 

17.  The  mention  in  this  verse  of  the  during   the  continuance  of  the  Mosaic 

jubilee  year,  or  year  of  release,  as  that  economy.     That  the  Sabbatic  year  was 

when  alienated  land  should  revert  to  its  restored  after  the  captivity  is  sufficiently 

original  occupier,  is  a  strong  confirma-  proved   by  the  testimony  of  Josephus, 

tion  that  the  prophet  intended  a  literal  Antiqq.  xiv.  10,  6.      See   also  1  Mace, 

reference  to  events  that  were  to  transpire  vi.  49. 


CuAP.  XLVIL]  EZEKIEL.  221 


CHAPTER    XLVII. 

This  chapter  contains  a  sublime  prophetical  vision,  emblematical  of  the  rich  abundance 
of  blessings  whicli  Jehovah  was  prepared  to  confer  upon  his  restored  people.  The 
imagery  is  taken  from  the  scenery  about  the  south  of  Judea,  and  forcibly  depicts  the 
contrasted  condition  of  the  Jews  as  apostate  under  the  curse,  and  as  restored  to  their 
privileges  as  the  people  of  God,  together  with  the  abundant  communication  of  divine 
blessings  both  to  them  and  to  the  Gentile  world.  The  vision  bears  on  the  very  face  of 
it  sucli  palpable  incongruities  if  taken  literally,  that  no  room  is  left  to  doubt  of  its 
symbolical  import.  The  localities  specified  are  to  be  regarded  as  the  sources  whence 
the  imagery  is  borrowed;  but,  in  explaining  them,  care  must  be  taken  not  to  strain 
the  language  so  as  to  obscure  the  more  sublime  objects  which  they  were  intended  t  j 
adumbrate. 

The  vision,  though  connected  with,  is  to  be  regarded  as  distinct  from,  that  of  the  temple. 
It  naturally  springs  out  of  the  view  given  in  the  previous  chapter  of  the  worship  to  be 
performed  by  the  prince  and  the  people,  under  the  superintendence  of  the  priests. 
While  that  worship  should  be  acceptable  to  God,  if  offered  in  a  proper  spirit,  the 
manifestations  of  his  loving-kindness  were  not  to  be  confined  to  the  sacred  lucallty, 
but  were  to  extend  to  the  whole  land,  and  ultimately  to  the  whole  world.  To  set  forth 
this  extension  of  the  divine  blessing,  a  series  of  beautiful  images  is  introduced  into  the 
scene.  From  under  the  eastern  wall  of  the  temple,  the  prophet  is  shown  a  collection  of 
waters  which  gush  forth,  and,  increasing  as  they  flow  towards  the  Dead  Sea,  convey 
viridity,  life,  and  beauty,  wherever  they  come. 

The  existence  of  fountains  and  aqueducts  in  the  vicinity  of  Moriah  has  long  been  known, 
and  they  are  particularly  described  by  Dr.  Eobinson  and  other  travellers  in  the  Easr ; 
but  they  throw  little  or  no  light  upon  the  passage  betbre  us.  The  waters  here  described 
are  represented  as  flowing  in  an  easterly  direction,  "^^"'li^  j  consequently  towards  the 
Kedron,  having  reached  which  they  mu.st  be  supposed  to  have  taken  their  course  in  the 
direction  of  the  Jordan,  and  so  down  the  Ghor  towards  the  Dead  Sea.  The  main  point 
in  the  picture  is  the  rapid  augmentation  of  the  river,  not  by  the  influx  of  any  side 
streams,  but  by  its  own  self-supply  from  the  sacred  source  in  the  temple.  It  is  evidently 
not  to  be  explained  on  any  principles  of  natural  philosophy,  but  is  to  be  resolved  into 
the  miraculous,  so  undeniably  held  forth  to  our  view  in  the  text. 

1  Then  he  conducted  me  back  unto  the  door  of  the  house ;  and, 

behold,  waters  issued  from  under  the  threshold  of  the  house 
eastward ;  for  the  front  of  the  house  was  toward  the  east ;  and 
the  waters  flowed  down  from  under  the  right  side  of  the  house, 

2  at  the  south  side  of  the  altar.  And  he  conducted  me  by  the 
way  of  the  gate  northward,  and  led  me  about  the  way  without 
to  the  outer  gate   by  the  way  which    looketh  eastward;    and, 

3  behold,  waters  ran  out  from  the  right  side.  When  the  man  that 
had  the  line  in  his  hand  went  forth  on  the  east,  he  measured  a 
thousand  cubits,  and  he  brought  me  through  the  waters ;  the 

4  waters  were  to  the  ankles.  Again  he  measured  a  thousand,  and 
brought  me  through  the  waters  ;  the  waters  were  to  the  knees. 
Again  he  measured  a  thousand,  and  brought  me  through ;  the 

5  waters  were  unto  the  loins.  Then  he  measured  a  thousand,  a 
river  which  I  could  not  pass  over ;  for  the  waters  were  high, 

19*     ' 


222 


EZEKIEL. 


[Chap.  XLVTI.  7-10. 


10 


waters  to  swim  in,  a  river  that  could  not  be  passed  over.  Then 
he  said  unto  me :  Son  of  man,  hast  thou  seen  this  ?  then  he 
brought  me  and  caused  me  to  return  to  the  bank  of  the  river. 
"When  I  turned,  behold,  on  the  bank  of  the  river  very  much 
wood  on  the  one  side,  and  on  the  other.  Then  he  said  unto  me  : 
These  waters  issue  forth  into  the  east  circuit,  and  flow  down 
into  the  desert,  and  go  into  the  sea.  And  being  brought  out 
into  the  sea,  the  waters  shall  be  healed.  And  it  shall  come  to 
pass  that  every  living  being  that  moveth,  whithersoever  the  river 
shall  come,  shall  live ;  and  there  shall  be  a  very  great  multitude 
of  fish,  because  these  waters  shall  come  thither  ;  and  they  shall 
be  healed,  and  shall  live  wheresoevel*  the  river  shall  come. 
And  it  shall  be  that  fishers  shall  stand  beside  it  from  En-gedi 
to  En-eglaim ;  there  shall  be  a  spreading  of  nets ;  their  fish 
shall  be  according  to  their  kind,  as  the  fish  of  the  great  sea, 


7.  The  numerous  trees  on  the  banks 
of  the  river  are  symbolical  of  the  greatest 
prosperity.  What  had  previously  pre- 
sented only  a  scene  of  barrenness  was 
now  to  be  remarkable  for  the  abundance 
of  fruit  wliieh  it  yielded. 

8.  The  LXX.,  Targ.,and  Syriac  have 
preposterously  rendered  '"^^^n  by  Galilee, 
taking  the  river  to  the  north  from  Jeru- 
salem instead  of  along  the  course  of  the 
Jordan  southward,  tl^'irrr ,  the  Arabah, 
or  great  valley  of  the  Jordan,  still  so 
called  in  the  present  day,  stretching 
from  Tiberias  to  the  Red  Sea.  There 
is  an  emphasis  in  the  repetition  'T3*'l  j 
into  the  sea,  i.e.  the  sea  so  remarkable 
for  historic  fiicts.  The  waters  that  re- 
quired to  be  healed  were  those  of  the 
lake,  whose  deadly  character  has  long 
given  the  name  to  it,  and  has  been  fully 
established  by  the  testimony  of  modern 
travellers.  See  Dr.  Robinson,  vol.  ii. 
p.  222.  "  According,"  he  says,  "  to  the 
testimony  of  all  antiquity,  and  of  most 
modern  travellers,  there  exists  within 
the  waters  of  the  Dead  Sea  no  living 
thing  —  no  trace,  indeed,  of  animal  or 
vegetable  life.  Our  own  experience,  as 
far  as  we  had  an  opportunity  to  observe, 
goes  toconfirm  the  truth  of  this  testimony. 
We  perceived  no  sign  of  life  within  the 
waters." 


Compare  De  Saulcy,  vol.  i.  p.  168,  who 
testifies  to  the  same  effect. 

9.  So  complete  should  be  the  moral 
change  which  the  prophet  has  in  his  eye, 
that  it  could  only  be  fitly  symbolized  by 
the  conversion  of  the  Asphaltitic  lake 
into  a  collection  of  waters  abounding  in 
all  kinds  of  fish,  for  supplying  the  in- 
hal)itants  of  the  neighboring  country. 
^'!.'!!5  is  a  dual,  signifying  the  two  rivers, 
but  as  only  one  river  is  mentioned  at 
the  end  of  the  verse,  I  have  no  hesitation 
in  adopting  the  division  of  the  word 
into  D^  --nS  ,  the  rirer  of  the  sea,  i.e.  the 
Jordan,  which  flows  into  that  sea,  to 
which  it  is  evident  reference  is  had,  and 
not,  as  Jarehi  supposes,  to  the  Mediter- 
ranean. 

10.  '"'^STT'?.  f  En-rjedi,  ^5^^   (J-iV^  5 

originally  called  Hazezon-Tamar,  was 
discovered  in  modern  times  by  Scetzen, 
and  is  desciubed  by  Dr.  Robinson  and 
De  Saulcy  as  situated  close  to  a  perpen- 
dicular cliff  of  more  than  fifteen  hundred 
feet  above  the  Dead  Sea,  on  its  western 
side.  Where  D"]"??  "p^:  j  En-eglaim,  was 
situated,  cannot  with  certainty  be  de- 
termined; but  on  comparing  D'^.i??  »  Etj- 
laim,  (Isa.  xv.  8),  it  would  seem  probable 
that  it  lay  on  the  confines  of  Moab,  over 
against  Engedi,  and  near  the  entrance 


Chap.  XL VII  10-23.] 


E  Z  E  K I E  L . 


223 


11  exceeding  many.     But  the  miry  places  thereof,  and  the  pools 

12  thereof,  shall  not  be  healed  ;  they  are  given  for  salt.  And  by 
the  river,  there  shall  come  up  on  the  bank  thereof,  on  one  side 
and  on  the  other,  all  trees  for  food,  whose  leaves  shall  not  fiide, 
neither  shall  the  fruit  thereof  be  consumed ;  they  shall  produce 
new  fruit  according  to  the  months  thereof,  because  the  waters 
thereof  issued  forth  from  the  sanctuary ;  and  the  fruit  thereof 
shall  be  for  food,  and  the  leaves  thereof  for  medicine. 

13  Thus  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah:  This  is  the  border,  according  to 

which  ye  shall  divide  the  land  for  an  inheritance  to  the  twelve 


of  the  Jordan  into  the  sea  :  "  Engallim 
in  principio  est  maris  mortui  ubi  Jor- 
dancs  ingreditur."  (Jerome.) 

11.  This  verse  has  generally  been 
viewed  as  a  drawback  upon  the  promise 
of  good  so  forcibly  and  repeatedly  made 
in  the  preceding  verses,  and  the  expres- 
sion, to  give  or  devote  to  salt,  if  applied 
to  land,  and  not  to  water  as  in  the 
present  instance,  would  unquestionably 
convey  this  idea.  See  Deut.  xxix.  23  ; 
Ps.  cvii.  34  (Heb.)  ;  Zeph.  ii.  9;  but  as 
it  is  the  water  of  the  Dead  Sea  that  is 
the  subject  spoken  of,  the  proper  inter- 
pretation is  that  founded  on  the  circum- 
stance, that,  owing  to  the  great  evapora- 
tion which  takes  place,  especially  during 
the  heat  of  summer,  large  quantities  of 
salt  are  deposited  on  the  shores,  or 
collected  by  the  Arabs  in  pits,  from 
which  they  obtain  abundant  supplies 
for  the  use  of  their  families  and  flocks. 
No  language  could  more  forcibly  repre-- 
sent  than  the  whole  passage  the  salutary 
influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  healing 
the  corruptions  of  human  nature,  and 
converting  what  befoi'c  was  poisonous 
and  destructive  into  elements  of  vitality, 
utility,  and  enjoyment.  Compare  Isa. 
XXXV.  1,  2,  6,  7 ;  xli.  18,  19  ;  xliii.  19, 
20 ;  John  vii.  38. 

12.  The  prophet  here  sums  up  what 
he  had  to  deliver  relative  to  the  happy 
change  which  was  to  take  place  in  the 
condition  of  the  church,  in  a  picture 
only  surpassed  by  that  of  the  paradise 
of  Eden.  Instead  of  the  vine  of  Sodom 
and    the  grapes   of  Gomorrah   (Deut. 


xxxii.  32),  which  were  nauseous  and 
revolting,  trees  of  righteousness  should 
produce  fruit  to  the  jiraise  and  glory  of 
God.  Compare  Rev.  xxii.  2,  where  the 
language  is  copied  almost  verbatim,  and 
made  to  serve  as  descriptive  of  the  state 
of  heavenly  blessedness. 

13-23.  The  remainder  of  the  chapter, 
and  the  greater  portion  of  that  following, 
are  occupied  with  the  arrangements  made 
for  the  territorial  division  of  Palestine 
among  the  tribes.  It  is  quite  evident 
that  1^3 »  which  affords  no  sense,  must 
be  a  corrupt  reading  for  l^.1 ,  the  Zain 
having  been  mistaken  by  some  copyist 
for  Gimel,  a  letter  similar  in  shape. 
LXX.  ravra  to,  opta.  According  to  Kitto 
that  country  may  be  regarded  as  em- 
bracing an  areaof  almost  eleven  thousand 
square  miles  ;  but  being  for  the  most 
part  hilly,  the  sides  of  the  mountains 
and  the  slopes  of  the  hills  greatly  enlarge 
the  available  extent  of  the  superficies. 
There  cannot  therefore  be  a  doubt  that 
the  population  might  have  been  in- 
creased to  an  extent  comprehending  all 
who  remained  behind  in  the  East,  if 
they  had  chosen  to  return.  All  would 
have  found  ample  accommodation  in 
the  land  of  their  fathers.  The  literal 
Canaan,  and  the  literal  tribes  here 
named,  alone  meet  the  demand  of  the 
unbiassed  expositor,  just  as  in  the  case 
of  the  temple,  which  requires  to  be  treated 
literally.  By  the  geographical  marks 
given  by  Ezekiel  it  may  easily  be  ascer- 
tained that  the  same  country  is  intended 
which   the  Hebrews   had  in  possession 


224  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  [Chap.  XLVII.  13-23. 

14  tribes  of  Israel :  Joseph  shall  have  two  portions.  And  ye  shall 
inherit  it,  one  as  well  as  another,  which  I  lifted  up  my  hand  to 
give  it  to  your  fathers,  and  this  land  shall  fall  to  you  for  an 

15  inheritance.  And  this  shall  be  the  boundary  of  the  land  on  the 
north  side,  from  the  great  sea  by  the  way  of  Chethlon  to  the 
entering  in  of  Zedad  :  Hamath,  Berothah,  Sebaraim,  which  are 
between  the  border  of  Damascus  and  the  border  of  Hamath ; 

17  Hazor-hatticou,  which  is  on  the  border  of  Hauran.  And  the 
border  from  the  sea  shall  be  Hazor-ainon,  the  border  of  Damascus, 
and  the  north  northward,  and  the  border  of  Hamath  ;  and  this 

18  shall  be  the  north  side.  And  the  east  side  shall  be  from  between 
Hauran  and  Damascus  and  Gilead,  and  from  between  the  land 
of  Israel  on  the  Jordan  ;  from  the  boundary  by  the  eastern  sea 

19  ye  shall  measure  ;  and  this  shall  be  the  side  eastward.  And  the 
south  side  southward  from  Tamar  unto  the  waters  of  Meriboth- 
Kadesh,  the  river  to  the  great  soa  ;  this  shall  be  the  south  side 

20  southward.  And  the  west  side  shall  be  the  great  sea,  from  the 
border  over  against  the  entrance  of  Hamath  :  this  shall  be  the 
west  side. 

21  And  ye  shall  divide  this  land  to  yourselves  for  the  tribes  of  Israel. 

22  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  ye  shall  divide  it  by  lot  for  an 
inheritance  to  yourselves  and  to  the  strangers  who  sojourn 
among  you,  who  have  begotten  children  among  you,  and  they 
shall  be  to  you  as  a  native  among  the  children  of  Israel :  they 
shall  have  inheritance   with  you   among  the   tribes   of  Israel. 

before  the  captivity,  exclusive  of  that  thins^s,  but  was  graciously  to  have  re- 

beyond  Jordan,  which  did  not  properly  stored  to   it  the  double   portion  which 

belong   to  the  paternal  territory  (Gen.  Jacob  bestowed  on  Joseph,  and  which 

xiii.  14-18).     The  boundaries  differ  little  was  inherited  by  his  two  sons,  Ephraim 

from   those  fixed  by  Moses   (Numbers  and  Manasseh,  instead  of  Reuben  who 

xxxiv.),  only  the  latter  commences  with  had  forfeited  his  birthright.     See  Gen. 

the  south,  the  former  with   the  north,  xlviii.  5.     There  was  now  no  distinction 

for  what  reason  it  is  impossible  to  con-  to  be  made  that   might  seem  to  savor 

jecture,   except   it  was   designed,   with  of  partiality,   but  all   were   to   have  a 

other  changes,  to  prepare  the  minds  of  sufticient  share  allotted  to  them, 

the  Jews  for  the  greater  change  which  22,  23.  A  joint   participation   in  the 

was  to   be  effected  by  the  introduction  inheritance   of    the   land    between    the 

of  the  new  economy  to   be  established  Hebrews  and  such  foreigners  as  might 

by  the  Messiah.  sojourn   among   them,   was    something 

13.  Joseph,  as   representative  of  the  altogether   new  in   the   history   of  the 

tribe  of  Ephraim,  is  here  placed  in  the  covenant   people.     Its  object   seems   to 

foreground,    to    intimate,    that    though  have  been  gradually  to  wean  them  from 

that  tribe  had  been  the  ringleader  both  that  exclusiveness  of  spirit  which  natu- 

in  the  civil  revolt  and  in  idolatry,  it  was  rally  marked  their  character,  and  thus 

not  to  be  neglected  in  the  new  state  of  to  pave  the  way  for  the  introduction  of 


Chap.  XLVIII.  8.]  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  225 

23  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  in  what  tribe  soever  the  stranger 
sqjourneth,  there  shall  ye  give  him  his  inheritance,  saith  the 
Lord  Jehovah. 

the  gospel  dispensation,  which,  as  it  before  God,  and  excludes  none  who 
respects  spiritual  blessings,  considers  all  submit  to  its  terms  from  the  enjoyment 
men,  without  distinction,  as  upon  a  level    of  the  privileges  of  the  divine  kingdom. 


CHAPTER  XLVIII. 

Having  finished  his  description  of  tlie  boundaries  of  the  land  of  Canaan  generally,  the 
propliet  now  takes  up  the  several  allotments  of  the  tribes  in  particular,  with  special 
reference  to  Jerusalem,  as  the  common  centre,  1-7,  23-28.  According  to  the  locations 
here  laid  down,  seven  of  the  tribes  were  to  have  their  portions  in  the  northern  division 
of  the  country,  and  the  remaining  Ave  were  to  occupy  the  smaller  division  in  the  south. 
The  tribes  of  Judah  and  Benjamin  were  to  be  specially  honored:  having  their  portions 
assigned  to  them  in  immediate  contiguity  to  the  sacred  area  ajipropriated  to  the  temple 
and  its  officiants.  The  reason  is  obvious:  they  had  remained  faithful  to  the  house  of 
David  amid  the  general  defection  ;  and  would  again  be  prepared  by  their  military  spirit 
to  resist  any  attack  that  might  be  attempted  upon  the  sacred  enclosure. 

1  Now  these  are  the  names  of  the  tribes :  from  the  north  end  to  the 

coast  of  the  way  of  Chethlon,  to  the  entering  in  of  Hamath, 
Hazar-ainon,  the  border  of  Damascus  northward  to  the  coast 
of  Hamath ;    and  these  are  the  sides  thereof  east  and  west : 

2  Dan,  one.     And  by  the  border  of  Dan,  from  the  east  side  to 

3  the  west  side :  Asher,  one.     And  by  the  border  of  Asher,  from 

4  the  east  side  even  to  the  west  side :  Naphtali,  one.  And  by 
the  border  of  Naphtali,  from  the  east  side  to  the  west  side: 

5  Manasseh,  one.     And   by   the   border  of  Manasseh,  from  the 

6  east  side  to  the  west  side :  Ephraim,  one.  And  by  the  border 
of  Ephraim,  from  the  east  side  even  to  the  west  side  :  Reuben, 

7  one.     And  by  the  border  of  Reuben,  from  the  east  side  to  the 

8  west  side  :  Judah,  one.  And  by  the  border  of  Judah,  from  the 
east  side  to  the  west  side,  shall  be  the  oblation  which  ye  shall 
offer,  five-and-twenty  thousand  in  breadth,  and  in  length  as  one 
of  the  parts  from  the  east  side  to  the  west  side ;  and  the  sanc- 

9  tuary  shall  be  in  the  midst  of  it.  The  oblation  which  ye  shall 
offer  to  Jehovah  shall  be  five-and-twenty  thousand  in  length, 

8.  The  measures  here  and  afterwards    reeds,  as  given  in  our  common  version, 
specified  I  take  to   be  cubits,  and  not    See  on  chapter  xlv.  1 . 


226  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  [Chap.  XL^TH.  15. 

10  and  ten  thousand  in  breadth.  And  for  these,  for  the  priests, 
the  oblation  shall  be ;  toward  the  north,  five-and-twenty  tliousand, 
and  toward  the  west  ten  thousand  in  breadth,  and  toward  the 
east  ten  thousand  in  breadth,  and  toward  the  south  five-and- 
twenty  thousand  in  length  ;  and  the  sanctuary  of  Jehovah  shall 

11  be  in  the  midst  thereof.  It  shall  be  for  the  priests  that  are 
sanctified  of  the  sons  of  Zadok,  who  have  kept  my  charge,  who 
went  not  astray  when  the  children  of  Israel  went  astray,  as  the 

12  Levites  went  astray.  And  the  oblation  of  the  land  that  is 
offered  shall  be  unto  them  a  most  holy  thing,  by  the  border  of 

13  the  Levites.  And  over  against  the  border  of  the  priests,  the 
Levites  shall  have  five-and-twenty  thousand  in  length,  and  ten 
thousand  in  breadth  :  all  the  length  five-and-twenty  thousand, 

14  and  the  breadth  ten  thousand.  And  they  shall  not  sell  of  it, 
nor  exchange,  nor  alienate  the  first-fruits  of  the  land,  for  it  is 

15  holy  to  Jehovah.  And  the  five  thousand  that  are  left  in  the 
breadth  over  against  the  five-and-twenty  thousand  shall  be  a 
profane  place  for  the  city,  and  for  dwelling,  and  for  an  open 

16  place  ;  and  the  city  shall  be  in  the  midst  of  it.  And  these  shall 
be  the  measures  thereof:  the  north  side  four  thousand  and  five 
hundred ;  and  the  south  side  four  thousand  and  five  hundred ; 
and  the  east  side  four  thousand  and  five  hundred  ;  and  the  west 

17  side  four  thousand  and  five  hundred.  And  the  open  space  for 
the  city  northward,  two  hundred  and  fifty  ;  and  toward  the  south, 
two  hundred  and  fifty ;  and  toward  the  east,  two  hundred  and 

18  fifty  ;  and  toward  the  west,  two  hundred  and  fifty.  And  the 
residue  in  length  over  against  the  oblation  of  the  holy  portion 
shall  be  ten  thousand  eastward,  and  ten  thousand  westward; 
and  it  shall  be  over  against  the  oblation  of  the  holy  portion ; 
and  the  increase  thereof  shall  be  for  bread  for  them  that  serve 

19  the  city.     And  they  that  serve  the  city  shall  serve  it  out  of  all 

20  the  tribes  of  Israel.  All  the  oblation  shall  be  five-and-twenty 
thousand  by  five-and-twenty  thousand  :  ye  shall  offer  the  holy 

21  oblation  four  square  with  the  possession  of  the  city.  And  the 
residue  shall  be  for  the  prince,  on  the  one  side  and  on  the  other 
side  of  the  holy  oblation,  and  the  possession  of  the  city,  before 

15.  When  it  is  said  that  the  five  thou-  that  they  were  to  be  regarded  and  treated 

Band  cubits  here  spoken  of  were  to  be  as  common,  not  being   appropriated  by 

?H ,  profane,  it  is  not  meant  that  they  any  particular  individuals.     They  were 

were  to  have  any  positive  impurity  cither  to  be  free  to  the  use  of  "all. 
legal  or  moral  attached  to  them,  but 


Chap.  XL VIII.  28-35.]  E  Z  E  K I E  L .  227 

the  five-and-twenty  thousand  of  the  oblation  toward  the  east 
border,  and  westward  before  the  five-and-twenty  tliousand  toward 
the  west  border,  over  against  the  portions  for  tlie  prince ;  and 
it  shall  be  the  holy  oblation  ;  and  the  sanctuary  of  the  house 

22  shall  be  in  the  midst  thereof.  Moreover  from  the  possession 
of  the  Levites,  from  the  possession  of  the  city,  in  the  midst  of 
that  which  belongs  to  the  prince,  between  the  border  of  Judah, 

23  and  the  border  of  Benjamin,  shall  be  for  the  prince.  And  as 
to  the  rest  of  the  tribes ;  from  the  east  side  to  the  west  side : 

24  Benjamin,  one.     And  by  the  border  of  Benjamin,  from  the  east 

25  side  to  the  west  side :  Simeon,  one.  And  by  the  border  of 
Simeon,  from    the  east  side   to    the  west  side :    Issachar,  one. 

26  And  by  the  border  of  Issachar,  from  the  east  side  to  the  west 

27  side :  Zebulon,  one.     And  by  the  border  of  Zebulon,  from  the 

28  east  side  to  the  west  side  :  Gad,  one.  And  by  the  border  of 
Gad,  on  the  south  side  southward,  the  border  shall  be  from 
Tamar,  the  waters  of  Meriboth-Kadesh,  and  to  the  river  toward 

29  the  great  sea.  This  is  the  land  which  ye  shall  divide  by  lot 
unto  the  tribes  of  Israel  for  inheritance ;  and  these  are  their 

30  portions,  saith  the  Lord  Jehovah.  And  these  are  the  goings 
forth  of  the  city ;    on   the  north  side  four    thousand    and  five 

31  hundred  measures.  And  the  gates  of  the  city  shall  be  according 
to  the  names  of  the  tribes  of  Israel :  three  gates  northward,  one 

32  gate  of  Reuben,  one  gate  of  Judah,  one  gate  of  Levi.  And  on 
the  east  side,  four  thousand  and  five  hundred  ;  and  three  gates, 
even  one  gate  of  Joseph,  one  gate  of  Benjamin,  one  gate  of  Dan. 

33  And  on  the  south  side  four  thousand  and  five  hundred  measures  ; 
and  three  gates,  one  gate  of  Simeon,  one  gate  of  Issachar,  one 

28.  The  "^^ri ,  Tamar,  here  mentioned  35.  As  there  was  to  be  a  new  city,  it 

is  not  Jerieho,  as   the   Targumist   ex-  was  befitting  that  it  should  have  a  new 

pounds,  but   a  locality  situated  at  the  name.     The  import  of  that  here  given  : 

distance  of  a  day's  journey  to  the  south  '"'^'^  '^)''^'^  >  Jeliovah-shammah ,  indicates 

of  Hebron,  and  a  little  to  the  west  of  the  that   it  was    to    be    specially   honored 

Dead  Sea.     Both,  however,  take   their  with  the  divine  presence  and  protection, 

namefrom  the ;)n/mf?Yes abounding  in  the  fH'IJ  is  not  in  this   place   to  be  taken 

neighborhood.  By  '"i^i'?!  C'ri"3S"  n?ra,  strictly  as  an  adverb  of  direction,  as  if 

ihe  river  hy  the  great  sea,  we  are  to  un-  meant  to  express  the  idea  that  Jehovah 

derstand  the  Rhinocorura   or   the  Wadi  would    be    specially  propensc   towards 

el-Arish,  on  the  confines  of  Palestine  and  Jerusalem,  but  is  simply  equivalent  to 

Egypt,  elsewhere  called,  on  this  account,  the  local   signification  there.     Compare 

ti''^^'^  "^n ,  the  river  of  E(fi/pt.     The  ^  Gen.    xxiii.    13;    Isa.    xxxiv.   15;   Ps. 

in  •^^na  is  simply  the  postpositive  adverb,  cxxii.  5  ;  and  as  to  meaning,  Ps.  xlviii. 

indicating  direction  towards  a  place.  1-3. 


228  EZEKIEL.  [Chap.  XLVin. 

34  gate  of  Zebulun.  And  on  the  west  side,  four  thousand  and  five 
hundred,  with  their  three  gates ;  one  gate  of  Gad,  one  gate  of 
Asher,  one  gate  of  Naphtali. 

35  Round  about  eighteen  thousand  measures ;  and  the  name  of  the 

city  from  that  day  shall  be  :  Jehovah  is  there. 

Here  endeth  this  remarkable  vision,  wliich,  though  greatly  mystified  by  many 
of  the  attempts  that  have  been  made  to  explain  it,  stands  forth  to  view  on  the 
sacred  page  as  a  noble  specimen  of  divine  wisdom,  admirably  calculated  to  inspire 
the  captive  exiles  in  Babylonia  with  the  cheering  hope  of  their  re-settlement  in 
their  own  land,  and  the  restoration  of  their  beloved  metropolis  and  temple.  In 
contemplating  it,  the  truly  spiritually-minded  Christian,  with  his  thoughts  raised 
above  all  earthly  localities,  will  not,  as  the  Germans  express  it,  perplex  himself 
with  Griibeleien,  subtle  and  trifling  inquiries,  but  will  grasp  the  grand  ideas  which 
the  vision  suggests,  and  anticipate  for  himself  in  a  future  world  a  realization  of 
what  was  only  dimly  shadowed  forth  by  that  which  is  here  described.  May  it  be 
the  happiness  of  the  writer  and  each  of  his  readers  to  be  raised  to  dwell  in  the 
house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens  ! 


/ 


/ 


Date  Due 


Aiinovj 


ilHniiiM'i'^ 


NO  5  's:^ 


HilHib^ifiH' 


^^00*0*^' 


jA*»e  9  'oe 


— iw 


jMHrryry"*^- 


00071 


5716 


i,vyi';,v^ 


